# After the End (ended, due to inactivity)



## Alliniere (Jun 30, 2008)

Thank you to everyone who participated in my first role-play. It had a good run, surviving the death of the forums. Should we have continued, the world would have been saved, the pokemon in the PC system had been saved by Arceus, and the world would have started to rebuild, now that it was no longer suffering from the inbalance cause by the death of so many legendary pokemon.

_______________________________________________________________

It is a dark, ruined, and hopeless world. After a battle between legendary Pokemon, the world was destroyed, and the once forest-covered continent of Kanto was split into many Island Wastelands. Human and Pokemon casualties were insurmountable, with only a few hundred thousand humans left, and the number of known living Pokemon species reduced to around 200. Most cities and towns were destroyed, and their toxins leaked into the ocean, poisoning it, killing most ocean dwelling Pokemon as a result. Most ships were destroyed, and only a few known vessels remain in existence. FLYing from place to place is unthinkable, as the airs above are unbreathable and storms rage in the sky. Yet one hope remains for the people of this bleak world. The rumour, perhaps little more that a tale to give children hope, that on the separated Johto continent, lives a clone of the live-giver, Mew, that can restore life to this world. a Small group has found this clone, and now seek to restore life to the world.

The PC System was thrown into disarray, and it is unknown what happened to all the Pokemon being stored as data on it.

Poke Balls are rare, and fetch a high price, up to thousands for a simple Poke’ball. Apricorn-Ball makers are a dying trade, but one that is highly valued; however, even finding a suitable Apricorn is difficult as it is, let alone finding someone to make it into a Poke Ball. Medicine is even rarer, and the surviving equipment from Pokemon Centers are often a point of contest in towns, as larger companies, still seeking to profit from suffering, charge heavy fees for their use.

These Events take place just over a year after the end of the world.

The shape of the land:

In Kanto, the continent has split into four main islands, with several smaller ones in-between. Saffron and Lavender have sunk beneath the ocean, although the top of Pokemon Tower remains visible, and if it were possible to land and fly on it, it could be visited. The surviving peoples of those towns fled to Celadon City, now Celadon town,  which is regarded by many as the safest place, the one most similar to the world before it ended. Erica, the former Gym Leader, has taken role of the leader of this community, and is trying to make the world green again, but the plants seem to have lost their will to live.  The land it is on, a long winding island, is the second largest body of land.

Mt. Moon was destroyed in the apocalypse and levelled much of Pewter, but made travel to Celadon much easier. The people of Pallet Town, Viridian City, and the survivors of Pewter came together to form a new town, “Sepia”. Soon afterwards, the people of Cerulean came to join the town as well after being terrorized by the Pokemon of the Unknown Dungeon. Victory road and all areas connecting to the Indigo Plateau have sunk under the ocean.  This island is the largest land mass, with the largest number of Pokemon species, but the least diverse.

Vermillion City has separated from the rest of the land, and is now an island called Vermillion Island. It is rumoured to be under Martial law, under the rule of Lt. Surge, but no news has come from the city in a long time, and all ships that went to investigate were never heard from again.

Cinnabar Island is largely unchanged, other than the Pokemon mansion becoming a place of residence for the Island’s population.

Johto is a sort of Island, with a 5 badge pokemon league, with Lance being the only trainer that needs to be defeated to become a Champion.

Sinnoh was completly destroyed, and is now two mountains, twisting around one another, into the sky.


Goal:
 To Convince the clone of mew to help us, and bring life to the world

Rules of the role-play: 
-No ownership of Legendary Pokemon, 
-The Pokemon you list are the only ones you have access to, as the PC system is a wreck, and inaccessible.
- Nobody should just ‘have access to’ any of the following: ships, airplanes, or any other mode of transportation, besides foot. 
-Have fun 
-Be creative.
-People who do not Post, or are uninvolved will be written out.
-More than 6 people are allowed, but only six will be allowed to be the main group. Anyone else is only allowed to be a side player. If a member should leave the group, another will be accepted. In this way, I hope that many types of people will be seen in this world.
- Contributors that seriously contradict the state of this world, will be Personal Messaged, and asked to remove or edit the post, but this will not be required, if it is explained well enough. This goes back to the “be creative”. 
- I discourage “God Mode”.



Required Info: (And mine, additionally)


Name: Meredith Alliniere

Age: 17

Some Info & History:  
Before the Split, Meredith worked as a Health Care Aide, and as such, has a great knowledge of both Human and Pokemon medical care, though her knowledge of the human body is much greater. She is not a doctor, but paid enough attention that she could have done the job. She lived in a wood cabin on the shoreline several miles south of Celadon in a state of shock, spending all her waking time either staring at the ocean beneath her, or caring for the travelers who wander into her home and need help. She barely spoke, looking at the ground, and seemed barely aware of the world around her.Those who have stayed long enough in her care know she has a very loving nature. She had food brought to her home once a week by a man from Celadon. Then Beryl came. Something about him reached into the girl, and pulled her out of the pit of depression. She gathered all her plans together, and left, seeking the Mew clone. With the determination of all her new friends, she hopes to bring life to the world. She has learned of her parents death, and it nearly brought her back into depression, but she is holding off the tears until their mission is done. Beryl has become very close to her heart, and has in a way, filled the void her parents left. She wears a pair of blue jeans, and a plain white muscle shirt. She is in shape, but not overly muscular. Her eyes are sunken and empty, and her shoulder length blonde hair seems to be fading, as does her whole existence, but she retains the look of once being very beautiful.


Pokemon: 
A Ditto, named: “Blip”<Ultra ball>. Blip came across Meredith shortly after the end of the world, and hung around simply because she knew Meredith needed a friend. Blip is basically a small child, with no tact, and would wouldn't believe that she was ever what you would call "shy". She affectionatly calls Meredith "Merry" and loves her trainer very much. She is very fond of annoying anyone, and uses her powers of transformation to do so. She is fond of Thorn.

Male Scizor, with no nickname. <Poke ball> As a Scyther, he lived in Saffron, owned by a mobster before the end of the world. His owner would constantly ask him if those he was about to kill deserved to die, giving him the choice of saving many, many lives. Fearing for his own life, Scizor said no, every time, fearing the gun would be turned on him. Eventually, He was traded away, and evolved, and was abandoned to the streets. During the split, he came across a young couple, Cal's parents, and failed to save their lives. His soul is in a state of constant turmoil, and he eventually wound up amoung a shelter for disowned pokemon in Celadon, where, after some time, he was found by Meredith. He acts as a scout, a fighter, and a sort of "disciplinarian" for the other pokemon. He speaks with an olde english sort of voice, using terms such as "Sir" and "Lady" to refer to people. After much training, he has learned to move almost as fast as he did as a Scyther.

Female Quilava, no nickname. <Pokeball>. Quilava is sort of a mature teenager. As a Cyndaquil, She was Meredith's starter, and the only pokemon she kept after she stopped training. During the end of the world, her pokeball was knocked into the poisonous ocean, and after a year, it was retrieved. She evolved shortly after.Meredith feels like Quilava is a sort of sister to her.

Male Lapras <Masterball>. Given as a prize of sorts to Meredith, Lapras feels like a king, and feels very indignant about being used only as transport.

Special Skills: Medical skills, and an ability to make others feel safer with her very presence.


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## shadow_lugia (Jun 30, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Name: Thorn (can't remember last name, did I even have one?)
Age: 11
Some Info & History: Thorn was quite a happy-go-lucky girl before the world was destroyed, and dedicated all her spare time to studying Pokemon. Now, however, she is only concentrated on saving Pokemon, and humans.
Pokemon: Swirl  M
Cloud (shiny) F
Claw  F
Blaze  M
Magma  M
An unknown Skarmory that is not really hers, but she found her dying in the lake. Just wanted people to remember her, as she has so far been of no significance.
Special Skills: Thorn has great knowledge of Pokemon and their abilities.


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## Blaziking the God General (Jun 30, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

I wasn't part of the original, can I still join?


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## Alliniere (Jun 30, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Hmm... Make a form, and I'll PM you when it seems possible. See, When the forums shut down, we were on an island inhabited only by Mewtwo and his clones, so it's not really possible for you to show up right now. But if the submission is good enough, then i'll tell you when you can join in. Sorry, just, it doesn't make sense for you to fall from nowhere into the RP.


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## Meririn (Jun 30, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Name: Beryl Evolius
Appearance: He has light green hair that descends below and around his shoulders and curls in front of his face. He has two red barrettes in his hair to keep it back out of his brown eyes a bit, but it still manages to stay there. Beryl also wears a too-big white dress shirt and brown pants, over which he has a green apron, which tends to make people think of him as an overgrown Kirlia. 
Age: 16
Some Info & History: Beryl's family bred Eevees for a living, so most of his Pokemon are Eeveelutions. He enjoyed a life of luxury and happiness with his Pokemon until the end of the world. He parents and almost all of the Pokemon had died, so, after picking himself out of the rubble of Celadon city, he sold the some of the remaining Eevees and their evolutions for money, then began to make his way in the world. Because of the sixteen years he spent becoming a breeder, he can treat canine and some feline Pokemon almost as well as a veterinarian, but his knowledge of the real world is still pitifully lacking due to being so sheltered. 
Pokemon: 
Calydon the male Glaceon: Calydon is a well-mannered Ice-type who is typically serious, but extremely devoted to both Beryl and his mate, Atalanta. He was given to his master on said boy's sixth birthday as a kit and evolved when all three were on a tour through Sinnoh back when the world was all right.

Atalanta the female Leafeon: Atalanta is just as regal as Calydon is, but stands up for what she wants when she feels the need. She was also a gift to Beryl on sixth birthday and also evolved while the three were in Sinnoh with her master's parents. 

Ferien: An inquisitive, outgoing baby Ralts. Beryl found its egg in the woods and carried it around until it hatched in Celadon City.

Parthenopaeus (Parth for short): The first child of Atalanta and Calydon. He is very shy, like his father, but seems to have made fast friends with Ferien.

Jupiter: This tall, scarred Jolteon is not Beryl's Pokemon but his dead father's. He cannot control Jupiter, but is keeping him out of the Poke Ball for now so that he can move past the disaster that took his wife and most of his children. When Beryl's parents were alive, he competed in gym challenges across the world.

Special Skills: Beryl can understand Pokemon of the 'Ground' breeding group that are relatively canine as though they were having a conversation thanks to his upbringing (it was part of his education).


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## Blaziking the God General (Jun 30, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Aww, but I love falling from nowhere! :D I'll make one out anywho...

Name: Jeremiah Teresh
Age: 16
History: Jeremiah was born to parents who died only moments after he was born. He was taken in by a nurse at the hospital he was born at, but she was killed during the war when Jeremiah was 8. He soon resorted to stealing Poke Balls and food to live. In this circumstance, many other people would have easily gone into a state of depression, but Jeremiah didn't, because he knew he wouldn't have survived. After the End of the World, he lost a few of his Pokemon, and was in a situation in which he thought that he was the last human on earth for a few weeks, before finding the remains of Pallet Town.
Jeremiah is very stubborn but has a great sense of humor. He tends to be very optimistic.
Jeremiah is six feet tall and has spiky brown hair. He always wears a black long-sleeve shirt underneath a dark blue t-shirt with the word "Survive" written on it. He has a cowboy hat that he usually wears. He is slightly muscular.
Pokemon: 
Rocky  Lv. 45 Rocky was one of the two Pokemon that Jeremiah was able to keep through the end of the world. He and Jeremiah have a close bond, and Rocky shares most of Jeremiah's likes and dislikes.
Goddess  Lv 41 Goddess was the other Pokemon to survive the end of the world with Jeremiah. She loves to battle, however unlike Rocky she will openly disagree with Jeremiah and often has different opinions than him. She still shares a bond with him.
Merlin  Lv 11 Merlin was found as a baby shortly after the end of the world with no parents or anyone to take care of him. Jeremiah took him in and made him a part of his team.
Special Skills: Jeremiah is very intelligent.


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## Zeph (Jun 30, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

YAY!!!

Name: Cal Startouch

Age: 13

Some Info & History:

He was born to loving parents in Saffron City and was cared and protected all through his childhood. On his tenth birthday, his parents gave him a Smeargle, which he named Pablo, and he set off on his Pokémon adventure. He caught a young Spheal, who he named Balloon, along the way and cared for them as much as he could. Over his first few years as a trainer he regularly visited his parents about once a month.

Then came the split.

Saffron was destroyed. He had no idea what had happened to his parents - but recently found out that they were killed - and ahd nowhere to live. He roamed Celadon for a while, and found a homeless Eevee and took her into his care. She soon evolved into an Espeon.

Cal soon came to Meredith's cottage. He was allowed the stay there, and made close friends with Meredith and Beryl. One day he followed Smile and Pablo down to the beach where they found four other Spheals, lost and confused. Cal decidded to take them into hsi care, and named them Smile, Star, Tiny and Bouncy.

At another point in his stay the group went to Celdaon, where Pablo was attacked by a vicious Houndoom. Pablo managed to escape - narrowly - and Cal, using one of his newly bought Pokéballs, captured the hellhound.

On the trip to Johto to find Mewtwo, Serena lead the way by asking the Sun for directions. The Sun also told her what sort of a state the regions were in, much to Meredith's horror.

Soon they arrived in New Bark Town, and Serena received a much more intense vision, pinpointing exactly where Mewtwo was - deep under an island in the middle of the giant Lake that Johto surrounded. The group crossed to the island, which they found to be a seemingly untouched Paradise, and encountered Mewtwo various times, but so far the cloned Pokémon has made no sign of wanting to help.

Cal is rather caring and friendly, but has a terrible temper. He instinctively tries to care for small creatures, like Spheal, but sometimes he can let his guard down while doing so.

He is currently wearing a white long-sleeved T-shirt with a broad red stripe on the sleeves and stomach along with a pair of simple jeans. He has untidy light-blonde hair which now almost reaches his shoulders. His eyes are light blue.

Pokemon:

Pablo is a male Smeargle. He loves drawing and painting things and is very creative. He sometimes annoys the others by painting on them. He has gathered various moves by Sketching, such as Transform, Protect, Flamethrower and Zap Cannon.

Serena is a female Espeon. For her first year under Cal's trainership, she never wanted to be near him, seeing him as a stupid, ignorant child who didn't know the difference between a Plusle and a Minun. After a while, though, she began to grow much more protecting and loyal to him, and now stays with him nearly everywhere she goes. Just before the split she had a baby who was a Shiny Eevee, but has not seen him since the split, when she told him to run and save himself. She can communicate with the Sun and sometimes has long-winded conversations with Her, either asking for directions to a certain place or asking how the weather is going to be.

Balloon, Smile, Tiny, Bouncy and Star are all Spheals. They are optimistic and a little bit silly, always rolling around and barking randomly, hardly paying attention to what is going on. the last four are named so because of their appearance: Smile has an even larger grin than average, Tiny is, obviously, very small, even for a Spheal - he's probably a baby -, Bouncy, when still, bobs up and down on his flippers a lot and Star has a star-shaped marking on her back.

Houndoom is male. Cal found him in Celadon attacking Pablo, but the boy caught him. Houndoom has made various attempts to eat the Spheal, but Meredith's Scizor had trained the five to defend thsemselves and Cal has since warned him of being disowned and sent away from the group if he tries it again. Of course, he'd rather not risk having a ca\ring trainer and frequent food for just a few small morsels that wouldn't last very long anyway.

Special Skills: After so much exposure to Serena, Cal has developed minor psychic abilities, even though he is not aware of them. He can sense when someone is nearby and can sometimes tell the time by just glancing at the sun.


...Is that too much?


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## Alliniere (Jun 30, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Thats just perfect. I'll probably update mine as time go's on, and just inform people when I do so.
You are all re/accepted. Blaziking, I'll PM you when you can join in.


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## Blaziking the God General (Jun 30, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Okay! ^^ Thanks!


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## Alliniere (Jul 1, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

(( Has whoever was playing Staro (Sisaphen, or something) signed back up?))


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## Zeph (Jul 1, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

((No idea. I think it was Sisyphaen.))


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## Exdeath (Jul 1, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Get it right! It was Sisyphaean. Sorry for me taking so long, I had trouble remembering my profile.Anyway...

Name: Staro

Species: Kadabra

Age: Kadabra equivalent of 25; technically 27 years old.

Info and history: For several years, Staro used to have a caring trainer, and journeyed with him, helping him collect gym badges, making himself stronger, enjoying the company of his fellow teammates.

Then one day, this world came crashing down around him, leaving only a desolate Psychic in its wake.

The split happened.
He doesn't remember much about what happened, only that they were traveling across Silence Bridge and he was behind them for some reason or another. The ensuing destruction caused by the split made his Teleport unusable, and so by the time he made it to the bridge, it had already been reduced to floating pieces of driftwood being sucked into a whirlpool. In one fell swoop, everyone he had known had been erased from existence. Although a Fearow that Staro knew was in the PC Box system, the chances of his survival are bleak.

Staro never really recovered after that, and always had a nagging doubt that perhaps he _could've_ done something to save them, that perhaps he had been a little too slow in acting. That was pushed to the back of his mind, however, in light of a harsh new reality, one of scarcity and starvation. He soon turned to the murkier side of things, using his psychic abilities to rob people of their money and essentials.

He was doing so to an unconscious group of of the Night Patrol when, on a whim, he decided to follow those that had conked them out, following their teleportive signature. 

That was how he came to meet Meredith and the others. Their mission, their hope of finding the clone of the life-giver, gave him, in turn, new drive, a goal to strive towards. He gladly assisted them in their journey to Johto, using Safegurad to protect their ride across the corrosive sea. He later healed a wounded Skarmory that Thorn had found floating in the water. when the clone turned them aside, Staro was crushed, but is not ready to give up just yet.

Staro tries to maintain a calm and neutral persona, but beneath that he is struggling with his guilt of all those times he stole from people. In an attempt to make up for it, he tries to be helpful at every junction, offering healing and the like.

Special Abilities: Staro has an excellent sense of intuition, and was trained in his trainer days to refine his Recover to treat worse wounds than usual and even to cure minor infections.

There! Is that all right?


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## Alliniere (Jul 2, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

((Perfect! let's get this show on the road!))

Mewtwo pondered the humans. The boy and the girl who seemed to be his mate, and the younger boy, from whom, he had recentally felt a pain, one of extreme loss come from him. The many pokemon with them... too many to pick up emotions, but it seemed almost all of them, all but the young ones, had lost someone. He floated amoung them, watching, hiding his presence to them. He did not bother himself with the pokemon, unless they happened to directly cross his path.
"Beryl!!" Meredith ran and hugged him, knocking him to the ground and laughing, at his suprise, doing so for no other reason than it was fun. 
"Don't annoy the Sandslash! Quilava watched over the children, Parth and Ferien. 
"Sir... I... I don't know what else to say."Scizor stood by Cal, feeling sorry, responsible. 
"Pidgeot, Nidoqueen, Gyaradooooooss!" Blip played, and transformed rapidly from shape to shape, sometimes flying, or digging, or swimming. It was impossible to keep track of her.
Mewtwo watched... and realized they were good. But... Could he help them? He floated to Beryl, and made himself visible.
<Human... Gather everyone you have brought here together... I think... I can help you fix this mess of a world> The voice was in Beryl's mind, going beyond words, making any difficulty understanding Pokemon speech irrelevant.


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## Meririn (Jul 2, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl's eyes flashed with happiness, instinctively knowing the source of the voice. "Hey, everyone! Gather round! The legendary wants to speak!" he shouted. Ferien and Parth obediently came close, causing the human to stare. "When did you guys get back? But it doesn't matter, come on guys, wait, where is Cal?" he asked. His hand stayed in Meredith's as he talked, holding protectively to her smaller appendage.


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## Alliniere (Jul 2, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Meredith squeezed Beryl's hand, someone afraid, somewhat excited, a jumble of emotions that caused her to shake and smile.
"Scizor and Serena went off with him.. I think they were near a cliff. I haven't seen Staro since we got here. Or Thorn. Hehehehe, stop it!"
Quilava had jumped onto Meredith's shoulder, and was now nuzzling against her long-time friend.


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## Zeph (Jul 2, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Cal haedr Beryl, and took one last moment to stare up at the sky. He wiped his sleeve across his eyes, sniffed and turned, running off towards the group with whom he could see the muscular, feline legendary. Serena bounded after him, jumping from the floor up to his shoulder with the grace of a Milotic and the Spheal popped out from wherever it was that they had been to crowd around their trainer happily.

Pablo, who had been sitting in a tree painting, climbed down to listen to the legendary too. Houndoom was the only indifferent one. He sat a distance away from the others in a dignified way, looking in a completely different direction. Small jets of flame erupted from his nostrils as he breathed.

Cal looked at Beryl and Meredith and smiled weakly. Was this it? Were they finally going to receive the power to fix the world?


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## shadow_lugia (Jul 2, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"I'm right here!" shouted Thorn, when she heard her name. "I'm just looking for Cloud. Have you seen her anywhere?"


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## Alliniere (Jul 2, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Meredith shook her head.
" I haven't seen her. Try around with the other flying pokemon, I bet it's been a while since she's seen others. Look for Blip and Scizor too, they haven't come back yet."


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## Exdeath (Jul 2, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Staro's ears pricked at the sound of Beryl's voice. Judging by the tone that he spoke in, it was likely important.

_Possibly... Something to do with the clone? Maybe it has changed its mind?_ Immediately, he teleported to Beryl's side, hoping against hope that there would be good news. This was the last possibility for the world to be healed.


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## Alliniere (Jul 3, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

The group had finally gathered. Everyone was together. The clone was looking into the sky, almost mournfully.
<In order to understand... you should see what is happening to our world.. and why..>

Mewtwo focused unto the memory of the time, a year ago.  He showed the memories to all present, and they were as if they were showing throuhg Mewtwo's eyes. But not only that, it was as if the universe was visable to them. They could watch themselves watching this. Watch themselves watching themselves watching themselves watching themselves. It was mindboggling. They saw, the world as it was a year ago,  beautiful, the oceans still blue. Then, a disturbance. Flashes of light as sound, clips of memories... The Legendary birds of Kanto, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, attacking the Beasts of Johto, their masters, Lugia and Ho-oH joining in the fight. It spiraled out of control... Until it seemed every legendary in the world has gathered for this battle.  Floating through the air, Mewtwo blasted Groudon, shielded himself from a Hyper Beam from Rayquaza,  dodged a Sacred Fire from Ho-Oh... Sinnoh was being torn apart, pieces of the land rising, as their powers became too much. Celebie from all across time swarmed the sky, attacking with all sorts of moves, from lighting bolts, to strange punches. Then, the first victim. Regice, as Hetran smashed through it's body. Then Shaymin, as a herd of Latios pelted is with psychic assults. Lugia and Ho-oH wre smashing against one another... It seemed like Mewtwo was only defending himself... until, out of the corner of it's eye... a small, cat-like pokemon fell to the ground, it's mind thought no more.. Mew was dead. The battle was destorying Sinnoh. The legendaries had disturbed the balance too much, and the groud around them, was twisting, villages, whole cities vanishing. Again and again, pokemon fell, and in the span of  half an hour, the battle was over, and the world was as if a giant had smashed a hammer the size of the moon unto Sinnoh. Two pillars rose into the sky, all the energy from the battle twisting, and gathering at the top, where they met.They battled, forgetting even why it started, until all that remained was Mewtwo... standing amound countless bodies... They were all dead... the Huge snakelike body of Rayquaza had holes blasted through it... Zapdos was burnt to a crisp, unrecognizable.  Mewtwo stood alone, holding the body of the pokemon from which it was created.


< I buried Mew...  That is what happened to your world... We, who balanced it... We took advantage of our own power. No humans corrupted us.  And because of our actions... even I do not know what can be done for your world. This place, my island... It grows only because I live here. By my powers are not enough... and even if I could... Without another Shaymin, or Groudon, or Azelf, the world with never be the same. It is why plants will not grow, why all are depressed... because the being that cause those things are gone.. and only one force could make them again.>


Meredith was holding herself as tightly as possble to Beryl, disturbed by the images she has seen... frighted by the power of the Legendary pokemon.


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## Zeph (Jul 3, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Cal sat silently. The only sign of emotion on his face were his eyes, wider than normal, but they hardly looked shocked - it looked as if he was in deep thought. The images replayed in his mind over and over, but like an echo, getting fainter each time. But one part was in focus each time. One part which he had seen...

Saffron. buildings falling, people screaming, Pokémon flitting around, agonised... Two familair faces, poking out from behind a chunk of rubble, screaming, pleading for help. A red figure approaching them but stepping back as another piece of the building falls... falls... lands, hiding his parents' faces forever. Blood, deep red blood, splattering over the bright red insect - Scizor. Scarlet on crimson, or was it crimson on scarlet? It was hard to tell for the amount of blood...

He opened his eyes and found himself lying on the ground. That was odd, he didn't remember fainting or going to sleep or even falling over. He sat up and looked around at the others, waiting for whatever would come next.


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## Meririn (Jul 3, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl held Meredith close, wiry arms wrapped around her torso, his right hand on the back of her head. Something had changed, rather deep in him, but he couldn't say what. "It'll be all right," he murmured to his girlfriend. He looked evenly up at Mewtwo. "What can we do to make this better?" he asked. He gazed down at the slim girl pressed against him, then diverted his eyes back to Mewtwo's. "I'll do anything." He could sense his Pokemon around him as he said this. He didn't want to endanger them, but at the same time, he knew he'd need their help to succeed.


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## Zeph (Jul 3, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Cal nodded in agreement. "Me too. Whatever it takes to fix the world."

Serena shut her eyes and tilted her head. Pablo nodded vigorously. Houndoom merely grunted in the group's direction. The Spheal, silent for once, tentatively rolled forward one by one, crowding instead around Mewtwo. Cal groaned, hoping the legendary wouldn't hurt them, but was too shocked to do much right now.


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## Alliniere (Jul 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

< If you would all truely risk everything.... There is only one.. one true legendary pokemon left, and only one pokemon with the power to create those that balanced this world... The God of Pokemon. To reach it... you will need to travel through the energy warp at the top of the spiral that used to be Sinnoh.. I'm afraid... I can't be anymore help to you then that. I cannot leave this place. I truely hope your mission is successful. You may stay here until you are ready to leave.>


Meredith stayed with Beryl...
"Beryl... Does this mean... I have to go... home?"


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## Meririn (Jul 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl kissed the top of Meredith's head. "Yeah. But you won't be alone. We'll be there with you... I think we all came this far because we believe in what we're doing. We'll go find this Pokemon... We have to. For your family, for my Pokemon, for Cal's parents, for Staro's trainer, for all of us," he said to her. 

Atalanta and Calydon, who were on the ground nearby, looked at each other, then down at Parth. _"For all of us," _they echoed.


----------



## Zeph (Jul 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"For all of us," Cal whispered. Serena jumped off of his shoulder and ran over to the edge of the cliff, staring across at the slowly setting sun*. She sat there for a few moments and returned to the others.

"_If we shall be leaving any time soon, I can lead the way again,_" she told them all, sitting next to Cal. The boy absentmindedly stroked her slowly, wondering what would happen to them. If the only one left was the God Pokémon, would it not be angry at them for trespassing on its resting place? And if it wasn't, what would it do to fix the world? Would it re-create every legendary Pokémon, or would it just restart the world entirely?





*I'm assuming the day's coming to an end now; please correct me if I'm wrong.


----------



## Exdeath (Jul 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

_For all of us, huh,_ Staro thought to himself. _Thanks, everyone._ He gazed at Mewtwo's pool, which seemed to have been set ablaze by the light of the sunset. Subconsciously, the Kadabra trailed a claw through the surface of the pool, focused on matters beyond ripples.

Going to Arceus(for that was what the legends called it) would be foolproof, no doubt; if the God of Pokemon could create the legendaries once, it could do it again. The hard part would be reaching it. Sinnoh, as far as he knew, was nowhere near any other landmasses, so they probably couldn't hope to keep up a Safeguard for the extremely long time the trip would take. 
_And how could there be an energy warp in what's left of Sinnoh?_


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Mewtwo picked up on Staro's musings.
<Quite simply, because that much energy was released. Every legendary pokemon was there, battling. Their battle is what broke apart the continents, and Sinnoh was where it took place. Where the two twisting pillars of rock meet, that is where you can access the relm of the God of pokemon.> 

_______________

Meredith also had wonderings... _If the God could create the legendaries again... would it bring back the human lives, the lives of Mew's creations? So many pokemon were extinct, and who knows what happened to those in the PC system..._
"Everyone... Thank you... we wouldn't have made it this far.. I wasn't even sure if we'd make it to find this Mew, but... now, it's like, this God is no big thing, we just have to do it, right? So... Thanks... Beryl, Cal, Staro, even Thorn.. All of you..." She turned up towards Beryl, and gave him a quick kiss.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 5, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

The night came quickly, thr group taking a sort of camping spot along the lake. Mewtwo had returned to his underground chamber. Meredith was talking with Staro and Serena about possible ways to keep up a barrier for as long as would be needed.
"If we switched off, with Pablo being an alternate, It could be possible, I suppose. But still, It's not a short journey. We also have to think about eating and sleeping. It'll probably be about 3 days.  I can't think of any other way to do it though."
Scizor stood near Cal, trying to show support for the boy's loss, while Quilava acted as their light.


----------



## Zeph (Jul 5, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

((Serena can't use Protect, she just lets Staro and Pablo borrow some of her power to keep it running.))

Serena nodded. "_That would seem the only plan,_" she said quietly, staring sadly at the place where the last sliver of sun had disappeared. "_Pablo is skilled, but needs more practice. Of course, that could be arranged easily in this paradise._"

Cal, meanwhile, was sat in exactly the same place that he had been when Mewtwo had talked to them. He could see Scizor out of the corner of his eyes and smiled sadly. "It's alright," he told the steel insect, "It wasn't your fault. If you'd tried to save them, all three of you would have died. And besides," he gestured round at all the others, "Who needs parents when you've got friends like these?"


----------



## Exdeath (Jul 5, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Staro voiced his opinion while gazing at the sky, waiting for the stars to come out. "_I agree. That's the only plausible way to get there, unless we somehow get a team of Fearow to fly us there while staying low._" He paused, scuffing the ground quietly. "_Still, though, I'll keep on thinking about an alternate way to get there. It might be a good idea to get some caffeinated drinks and energy food._" Yawning, he got up and moved towards a nearby maple tree, sitting down with his head leaned against it.

When Staro heard Cal speak, his thoughts turned melancholy. _A family...I wonder what it's like to have one._


----------



## Meririn (Jul 5, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl looked over at Ferien. "If anyone has a TM, Ferien can learn Protect," he told the group. The little Ralts was playing a cryptic game in which he would do nothing, then try to scare Parth, and depending on the Eevee's reaction, they would switch places.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 6, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

" I don't have any TM's... But what if... The clone. It's obviously a psychic type... maybe we could ask it to teleport us as close as it could... In fact, then, we could just keep teleporting. Jumping as close as we can to the area. It's unlikely we'll hit anything, you could guide us Serena, and I'm sure it would reduce the trip alot!" Meredith was really hopeful about this plan. Scizor bent down and put a claw on Cal's shoulder.
"They are great, arn't they." He smiled at Cal.


----------



## Deretto (Jul 6, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Well, it looks like an opening to join the RP is coming up after your teleporting. If you're still accepting forms...

Name: Kris (female)
Age:9

Bio: Kris doesn't know anything of life before the destruction of the world. She was too young at the time to even recall the events or to remember any knowledge of parents or family. Her voice is very soft. Although due to her upbringing she cannot communicate very well. The only reason she's survived all these past years is because she was taken in by a Luxio by the name of Terry who has since then become a Luxray. She's had an easier time dealing with the situation of the world due to Terry's protection. Upon meeting him their relationship was compared to that of siblings. However since Terry's evolution it has become more of a father-daughter relationship. Needless to say, Terry is doing his best to teach Kris how to defend and take care of herself.

Profile: Kris has long black hair that has never been cut. Her skin was originally pale but has darkened slightly due to being outside most of her life. She wears a dirty grey t-shirt with short black cotton shorts. She has a thin gold chain that's always been with her. She doesn't have any shoes. Her feet aren't callused though because she travels on top of Terry's back. She has a small spear that she always holds; only doing so cause Terry forces her to. Everything she owns other the the chain is courtesy of Terry.

Special power: Mind Breaker: Unknown to Terry and Kris, she has the power to make others befriend her. Even in odd circumstances. Such is the case with her relationship with Terry.

Pokemon:
Terry the Luxray:
Terry is the only pokemon that Kris "controls." He is wild and stays with her purely out of free will. He's a strong built male that is willing to hunt other pokemon for food. He speach is always arrogant and some what higher class due to his high status that he was born into. He originally took Kris in solely for a companion that he could trust. Too many times has he tried to make allies after the war only to have them turn their backs on him in a desperate attempt to help themselves. Over the past couple of years he's developed a much deeper relationship with Kris then he intended. So much that they're able to communicate with each other now. He often wonders if he should leave her on her own eventually.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 6, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Sure. Accepted. Thats it. I'll PM you when you can join in.


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 7, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn had watched on in silence, and then, in an attempt to be optimistic again, said, "There's hope then," and left it at that. She then went off to look for Cloud, with her Pokemon alongside her, except Swirl, who she had checked was okay in the pond before leaving. He was having a good time, as this was the first pool of water that was swimmable in that he had seen in a long time.


----------



## Zeph (Jul 7, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Cal nodded. "So are you. You're strong and kind. And you look cool." The boy grinned at Scizor and suddenly had the strange sensation that he was being watched. He wheeled on the spot and saw the reat black form of Houndoom standing behind him. The hellhound barked at him and gestured, with his great horned head, towards a nearby tree. Cal, curious, followed Houndoom and found a small hollow in the tree. And sleeping inside the hollow was -

"Serena!" Cal called over to his Espeon, "Come over here!"

Serena excused herself from her conversation with Meredith and Staro ad ran over to Cal. She peered into the tree and gasped.

The Pokémon inside poked its foxlike head out and looked around. It looked like an ordinary Eevee, but the fur - instead of brown, it was silver. It turned its large black eyes to Serena and squealed.

"VEEE!" it cried and jumped out of the hollow towards the one whose scent he recognised as his mother's. Serena, overcome with joy and grief at the same time, just stared at the Eevee, her dark eyes glistening, as the cub ran all around her, nuzzling her purple fur as if to make sure this really _was_ his mother. Cal watched on with a smile, wondering how the young Eevee had found its way here.


----------



## Meririn (Jul 7, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Calydon and Atalanta looked at each other and smiled. They laid their heads against one anothers', watching the happy scene. Parth and Ferien watched as well, though with a different curiosity. _"I wonder if his mother will let him play with us?" _ Ferien asked.


----------



## Exdeath (Jul 8, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Staro smiled slightly, safe in the knowledge that at least one of them had found happiness at last. _"I'm sure she wouldn't mind,_" he told the two, _"Just not right now. Let's let her enjoy her celebration."_


----------



## Zeph (Jul 8, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Serena and the cub finally finished their celebration. Serena nodded over to Ferien and Parth. "_Go on, Flake. Why don't you play with them?_" she asked the Shiny Eevee.

"*But mummy, I want to stay with you!*"

Serena smiled. "_Alright. I'll come with you._"

Flake happily bounded over to the other Eevee and the Ralts, but stopped when he was close to them. Serena followed him and wondered why Flake had stopped. Then she noticed that Flake was rubbing his front paw back and forth across the ground sheepishly.

"_Go on, don't be shy,_" Serena smiled, "_They won't hurt you. Parth and Ferien are lovely._"

Flake looked up slowly and walked closer to the other young Pokémon He smiled shyly. "*Hello, I'm Flake...*" he said quietly.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 9, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Awww." Meredith found this reunion so joyful, and obvious sign of was was to come for them. She pulled herself away from Beryl, to go over to Serena.
"I'm so happy for you, Serena."
Scizor was touched Deeply by Cal's sentiments.
"I simply do my best to make up for what I've done wrong... As it turns out, that is trying to fix this world. Happy as I am for this reunion, we should get some sleep."


----------



## Meririn (Jul 11, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Ferien's mouth broke into a grin. _"I'm Ferien! This Eevee beside me is Parth,"_ he introduced.

Parth looked Flake over. _"Did you fall in snow? You're all gray coloured,"_ he pointed out innocently.

Ferien elbowed the brown Eevee. "_Silly, that's because he was born from an Espeon, not a Leafeon," the Ralts said, acting knowledgeable. _

Parth accepted this as fact. _"All right! Hey, we have enough for tag now!" _he said, running over and tapping Flake with his tail. _"You're it!"_


----------



## Zeph (Jul 11, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"*Actually, I'm a Shiny Eev-*" but he was cut off when Parth tagged him. He laughed excitedly and ran off after the others, aiming to get that wierd white Pokémon with a green helmet.

Meanwhile, Serena smiled at Meredith. "Thank you, my lady," she said, her voice still overwhelmed with happiness.

Cal heard Scizor's words behind him. He turned and noddd with a smile. "Meredith, it's really getting a bit dark. Maybe we should just wait for Flake, Parth and Ferien to get tired, then find somewhere to sleep?"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 11, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn returned to the group looking upset. "I can't find her!" she said.


----------



## Zeph (Jul 11, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"_Find who?_" Serena asked, concerned. She looked around and saw the only Pokémon not present was apparently Cloud.

Alarmed, she send out a Psychic message around the island. "_Cloud? Cloud, where are you?_"


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 12, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Did you ask that Mew? He seems to know where everybody is. Just ask. I think he sleeps in that cave over there." Meredith pointed off to where she had seen Beryl enter earlier. "Where's that Skarmory, anyways?"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 12, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Sleeping by the lake," Thorn answered, and she ran off to the cave.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 14, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Mewtwo picked up Thorns approach the moment she stepped into the cave. He quickly solved the problem, telling her that, as far as he could tell, Her Pokemon was at least on his island, but giving that he didn't know it that well, he couldn't be sure.  He wondered why, if he could solve almost anything instantly, his powers being beyond any human measure, why could he not extend the ability to keep the world green beyond this small paradise.


Meredith snuggled close to Beryl, looking at the sky. it was still blotted out with smog, even in this wonderful place. Her thoughts were elsewhere. Rather, her thoughts were not directed to the sky, countless miles above, but right beside her, on the green haired youth. Beryl, who had stood by her made her feel special in ways she couldn't understand. 'Nobody really does', She guessed.  One thing worried her... That when this was all over, Beryl would go on to do his own thing... and leave her behind... That, even though they were together... Dating, as much as was possible under the circumstances... Was she only there to keep the group together? To be a surrogate family to all these people?
"Beryl... What do you want to do... when we fix everything?"


Scizor had taken up sleeping in a tree. Blip had taken to sleeping on his head. Strange, how that worked, her form melting and fitting to Scizor's head.


----------



## Meririn (Jul 14, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl looked over at Meredith. "Well, I'm going to get back into the Eevee breeding business again. What about you? Do you have a hospital job you'll get back to?" he inquired. The young man watched her face with curiosity. He wondered where she would go if she could go anywhere.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 14, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Not really... I could probably get a job at a care home, or something, you know, working with older people... But... I'd rather go.... oh, nevermind.."
She turned beet red, and turned away, thought not coldly, rather, just to avoid him seeing her blushing so deeply.


----------



## Exdeath (Jul 14, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Which brought her face into full view of Staro, who quickly turned to the side to avoid being seen and heard chuckling. _Humans and their romances..._ He then teleported to the other side of the tree, and shifted until he was comfortable, and then settled down to sleep.


----------



## Meririn (Jul 15, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl blinked. "You'd rather go where?" he asked, leaning over to look at her.


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 15, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

(Uh... The Pidgeot thing isn't what I was planning...)


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 16, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

(sorry, changing into "he quickly solved the problem, telling her that, as far as he could tell, Her Pokemon was at least on his island, but giving that he didn't know it that well, he couldn't be sure.")

"I'd.... rather stay with you... Beryl... I'd give up anything else that I could have had... as long as I'm with you." She turned even redder, from a combination of what she was saying, and the fact she said it MUCH louder than she had intended, and looked around to see that she had attracted attention, reminded of how Her and Cal had met,  with her tripping right into the midst of them on the beach by her home.


----------



## Meririn (Jul 16, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl turned red, too. "I'd be happy to have you, Meredith. You're good with Pokemon and you're a nurse - you'd be quite the asset to have around. Besides, I'm starting to fall in - I mean, we should go to sleep now, we have a big day tomorrow," he said, the last part quite hastily.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 17, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

She smiled. Parts of Meredith were doing jumps and flips because what Beryl had almost said, and the other part wanted to hit him over the ehad with a pitchfork for sayuing that the only reason she would stay around was to be a nurse... Of course, she was really only a health care aide, but still. She compromised and only said,
"Beryl, are you ever going to be comfortable around women? I mean, you'd think your parents would have introduced you to *some* member of the fairer sex."

Quilava had followed Thorn, catching up only as she left the cave.
"Did you find out where Cloud is?"


----------



## Meririn (Jul 17, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl shook his head. "We moved around too much for me to ever make any friends. I had a cousin on my mom's side who was female, but she isn't a shining example of your gender. Meeting her was always a learning experience. For example, you can get pregnant at twelve, and there are people who get babies drunk to make them stop crying," he said. "It didn't help that I only ever went to boy's schools, where I got picked on because I was into girly things like breeding and contests. I also sucked at everything sporty except for running. I learned how to do that well pretty fast. I can also scale a brick wall with barbed wire on the top in less than ten seconds. The only problem was that Eevees are not as fast as a person."


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 17, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Barbed wire? What, were you sent to a school for deliquents or something?"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 17, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn was more relaxed now that she knew Cloud was alive, and in reply she started to sing, "Somewhere. Beyond the sea. Somewhere, waiting for meeeeeeee. My lover stands on golden sands..."


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Quilava was upset that Thorn seemed to be ignoring her, and shot a quick blast of fire at her. When that obviously got Thorn's attention, she yelled up at her.
"Hey! Sorry to interrupt your singing, but, where's Cloud? Did the clone know?"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

She frowned, and said, "She's on an island. Like the song said, beyond the sea."


----------



## Meririn (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"It was a school full of rich kids. There were at least three kidnapping attempts a year. The barbed wire was to keep people out, not in," Beryl said.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Oh... Right... Kidnapping.." Meredith trailed off, having seen the results of some kidnappings... Things that made the people who lived envy the dead.. Those were things that never were never going to leave her mind.
"Nobody ever came after you, did they?"


----------



## Meririn (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl rolled onto his back to think for a bit, one arm around her shoulders, pulling her onto him. "It might surprise you, but very few people outside the family were actually aware of my existence or my lineage. I had very strict rules governing where I was allowed to go. If I defied my parents' wishes, they would take away my Pokemon for a week. I never had anything happen. My parents paid quite a lot of money to have me, they weren't going to throw it away just for nothing," he said. "Anything criminal ever happen to you?"


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Hospitals have 2 record books, official, and unofficial... sometimes we just "forgot" to write things down, or report them to the Nurse... I never did anything harmful, they always wanted what happened... It was usually only a family member keeping them alive, because they thought that 6 months in a hospital bed, having EVERYTHING done in a tube, was better than going peacefully... Or when a Child messes up, we don't always tell the parents... I've broken the law, but I don't think I've ever done wrong by doing those things. You know? How about you guys?  Cal, Staro? You guys do anything like that?"


----------



## Zeph (Jul 18, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Cal, who was almost asleep atop a nearby tree, heard Meredith say his name suddenly. He opened his eyes and blearily looked down. "Huh? Ever broken the law?" he mumbled sleepily, "Um... I don't think so. Well, actually, I dunno... I'm too tired to think..."

"_You have done nothing of the sort in my time with you,_" Serena said vaguely from a few branches above him. Pablo merely shrugged and went back to sleep.

"Actually," Cal frowned, sitting up, "There was something. Something that happened ages ago. I can;t quite remember, it was so long ago... ask me later, when I'm actually awake..."

Feeling a little stupid, he shrugged and Lay back down again, listening to the conversation below.


----------



## Exdeath (Jul 19, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Staro's head twisted around when he heard the question asked, and was silent for a moment before answering, his voice quiet.

"_Yes... I've done some criminal things. After the Split, I tried to survive on the orphanage food and what little there was to forage...but it wasn't enough it the end. There wasn't enough to go around, so...well, I didn't want to starve...I ended up stealing from people for food, robbing people; at one point I even looted corpses just to survive. I always felt so guilty doing all those things, still do, but I didn't stop. It was the only way to survive._"

Falling silent, he stared at the grass in front of him, already regretting what he had let pour out of him.
_Should I have said something different...?

No. They have a right to know. And you know it._


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 19, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Hey, you did what you needed to do, to survive. That is all that matters. If you didn't, we wouldn't have made it to this island. Cold as it may seem, the dead don't really care if you take their things, they're dead. Besides, you weren't being cruel, you were jsut doing what you needed to." Sensing he seemed to be conflicted about telling them, she added,
"I have alot of respect for you, Staro"


----------



## Exdeath (Jul 19, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Staro nodded mutely, refusing to meet anyone's gaze. After a few moments, he suddenly teleported with a muffled _crack_ to the forest on the other side of the island, completely obscured from view by the thick fronds around him. He quickly floated up to a thick enough branch and lay down, closing his eyes.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

The next day came. Meredith awoke during a purple sky, the moon still out, and only the tiniest hints of red and orange beginning to appear. Meredith was sore, still not used to sleeping out of a bed, her neck really sore, having been at an aqward angle, laying against  Beryl. As far as she could see, Thorn had not returned. Then again, she couldn't really see anyone else.... What was it with the people she had met and sleeping in trees anyways? She called out in a low whisper, hopefully enough to get attention from the awake, but not enough to distrube the still asleep.


----------



## Zeph (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Serena was the only one awake in Cal's tree. She was sitting on a high branch, her large eyes fixed again on the sliver of red light on the horizon. She heard Meredith's whisper and flicked her double-ended tail through the air like a whip to make her presence known. Cal, Pablo and the Spheal were all fast asleep a few branches below, and Houndoom was sitting at the bottom of the tree. As for Flake, the Shiny Eevee was curled up on the same branch Serena had been sleeping.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Come here, Serena?"


----------



## Zeph (Jul 20, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

The Espeon sadly took her eyes away from the rising sun and lightly stroked Flake with her tail before jumping down to meet Meredith. "_Yes, my lady?_" she asked quietly.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 21, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"How are you? I've been meaning to talk to you... I'm really glad your child is here. I just want to know how you are feeling."


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 21, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Claw suddenly bounced in on this conversation. "Heyas!" she said.


----------



## Zeph (Jul 21, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"_I feel great,_" Serena said, "_Better than I have in a long, long time..._"

She gazed up at Flake, sleeping peacefully in the tree, and jumped when Claw suddenly appeared. She turned to the Sneasel. "_Greetngs, Claw,_" she said politely, "_Did you sleep well?_"


----------



## Zeph (Jul 21, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"_I feel great,_" Serena said, "_Better than I have in a long, long time..._"

She gazed up at Flake, sleeping peacefully in the tree, and jumped when Claw suddenly appeared. She turned to the Sneasel. "_Greetngs, Claw,_" she said politely, "_Did you sleep well?_"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 21, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees," she said, "for us Sneasel, anyway."


----------



## Zeph (Jul 22, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"_Good,_" Serena replied, and turned to Meredith. "_So, do we have a plan as to how we will reach Sinnoh yet?  We ahd various ideas, but which one did we decide on?_"


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 23, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Best bet is to Teleport across the ocean as fast as we can. We should Probably head back to land first, though. Do you know what the nearest city is, Serena?"


----------



## Zeph (Jul 24, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Serena shut her eyes for a moment, remembering her vision of the island. She could remember seeing groups of tall buildings all around the ring, but the closest was definately the one with the tall, white lighthouse.

"_Olivine,_" she said quietly.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 24, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Alright, We'll go there, when everyone is ready to leave, I don't think the clone has as much of a problem with us being here anymore."
She snuggled back upto Beryl. How long had she known him now? It couldn't have been longer than 3 weeks. Probably closer to two. And yet, She couldn't imagine life without this strange-clothed man.
"It's gotta be so much easier to know what people think, when you can read minds, Serena?"


----------



## Zeph (Jul 24, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Serena laughed quietlt. "_Indeed it is,_" she said. "_However, it is rude to read thoughts constantly. I rarely do so myself, but I can tell that right now you are thinking about the fact that you have known Beryl for a very short amount of time and yet he is already like a part of you. That is the general gist of your mind currently, no?_


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 25, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Pretty much. Care to give your opinions on that?"


----------



## Zeph (Jul 25, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"_My opinion?_" Serena asked, vaguely surprised. "_I... I think it's good that you have found someone you are so dveoted to, even in the current state of the world. If only everyone were like you and Beryl, we'd all be able to get throguh this horror..._"

the Espeon looked up the tree at Flake again. The young Eevee was stirring, and after a few moments, he awoke. He climbed carefully down the tree to Serena, who smiled at her child. "_Hello, little one,_" he said softly, "_Did you sleep well?_"


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 26, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Let's hope that, when we're done, we'll only need this world to be a memory."

Meredith went back over to Beryl, and moved so she was over him, taking care to keep him asleep, by being quick, and lightfooted about it. She kissed him, deeply, lovingly. She made sure it was enough to wake him up.
"I love you Beryl. How'd you sleep?"


----------



## Meririn (Jul 26, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl blinked awake sleepily. "Hmm? What's happening?" he asked, then woke up fully and remembered what Meredith had said. "I slept well," he said, then blushed. "And I love you, too." He reached up and caressed her face, forgetting that anyone else was around for the moment.

The moment ended when both Calydon and Atalanta tackled him down. Beryl giggled and scratched behind their ears. "I missed you guys, too," he said. Parth and Ferien joined in, piling on top of the beleaguered teen. He offered an apologetic grin to Meredith while petting each of his Pokemon in turn. Jupiter stayed sleeping, curled at the base of a tree.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 26, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Don't worry about it. I should probably play with Blip a bit, I've mostly been leaving her with Thorn lately. Has anyone seen Thorn, for that matter?"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 26, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

(And heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere I come)

Thorn raced hurridly into the tree (literally _into_ it, headfirst), getting a good red bump on her right temple. She rubbed it and employed a few swearwords that she had once learned from some hobo who she had beaten in a battle, before spotting Claw and racing over. "Good God," she said, "You scared me. I thought something had carried you off."


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 26, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Wow... And I thought I was clumsy"


----------



## Zeph (Jul 28, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Serena smiled at Thorn's less-than-graceful entrance. "_Morning greetings, Thorn,_" she said, nodding.


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 28, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Is Cal awake yet, I had a question he said to ask him when he was."
Quilava came running after Thorn, having been left behind, she walked up to Meredith, and nudged the girl with her own head.
"I haven't slept, just put me in the Pokeball."
"Alright." Meredith shot the small beam of red light, and Quilava was allowed to rest.
"Where were you and Quilava anyways Thorn?"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 28, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn seemed to finally realize that the others had seen her early-morning accident. She stared for a second, before saying, "Uh... We were... just... watching the Skarmory... by the lake..." before stretching and setting Claw down. "She's awake now."


----------



## Zeph (Jul 29, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"_If not, I will wake him,_" Serena said in response and climbed the tree again. Cal was still asleep. She sighed and lightly nudged him awake. The boy looked around blearily and saw Serena.

"Morning," he yawned, "Why're you waking me? Are we leaving?" Serena shook her head.

"_No. Lady Meredith would like to speak to you._"

Cal climbed down the tree clumsily and approached Meredith. "Hi," he said, "What was it you wanted?"


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 30, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

" Yeah I did, Cal. You said to ask you later, If you had done anything illigal. Don't worry, we all pretty much have done something, and you don't have to tell me, I'm just curious."


----------



## Zeph (Jul 30, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Hmm? Oh, that. Well, once I, erm, stole food from a shop. That was a few days after the split, I'd just found Serena and she was starving. And that's all i can remember..."

"_I can't recall that incident at all,_" Serena said, puzzled. This completely contradicted what she had said last night.

"You were exhausted and desperate for food. I doubt you'd remmeber something that happened while you were in a state like that..."


----------



## Alliniere (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Heh. It's things like that that remind me how lucky I've been for the last year. I'll get started on breakfast, as soon as I can find Blip and Scizor."
Once again, she searched for her Pokemon. They were found quickly Scizor cut up some logs for a fire, and Blip transformed into Quilava, and ignited it.
Meredith took an empty can, and bent it outward. She bent and bent until the can's thin metal gave way, giving her a deep cut on her hand.  Instictive reactions caused her to raise her arm above her head and goign through her medicine bag, she bandaged it. Unfortunatly, the can was now covered in blood, and was no longer usable for cooking with. In the end, she settled on a few (clean, and filled) cans of chicken soup. With such a large group, however, that meant making all the soup they had.
"Okay, We've got a basic plan for getting to Sinnoh, teleporting as fast as we can, so we don't have to keep up the barrier for so long. The problem is, do we have enough pokemon that can Teleport effectivly? The second problem is, even teleporting, we'll have to rest, and we can't rely on finding an Island. I don't know how we'll deal with this. Any ideas anyone?"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn clapped excitedly when she saw the soup, and immediately helped herself, not bothering to use eating utensils. Emerging a few seconds later with a wet face and a bit of noodle stuck to her lip, she asked, "What?"


----------



## Zeph (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Pablo raised a hand, and Cal nodded. "Pablo could watch Staro doing it and Sketch it," the boy said. "Then there's Staro himself, and Ferien. And I think that's all..."

He thought for a moment for the second problem. "Maybe Blip and Pablo could, I dunno, Transform into small islands for us to rest on." The idea was stupid, but it was all he could think of.


----------



## Meririn (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl looked over at Ferien, who was preoccupied by playing. "My Ralts is probably old enough to help teleport," he said. "And if we don't have anything to land on, the Ice types could make a layer of ice on part of the ocean."


----------



## Zeph (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Yeah, that's a better idea," Cal said, nodding over and Beryl "How many ice-types do we have? The five Spheal, Calydon, Lapras... and I suppose, again, Pablo could Sketch some Ice-type moves."

((EDIT: I'm going on holiday starting tomorrow and won't be back 'til next Friday. If Cal or his Pokémon are needed at some point while I'm gone, Alliniere can take control of them.))


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jul 31, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Oh, uh, not to mention Swirl and Claw," said Thorn, licking the noodle off her lip. "They can use Ice Beam."


----------



## Alliniere (Aug 1, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Okay, good plan.  We'll want to pack something to sit on, then, because freezing ourselves to an iceblock in the middle of a poisoned ocean is a pretty bad idea. We'll stop in Olivine before we leave, for sure. When do we want to get going?"


EDIT:
(So, Meririn is away, so is Castform. That still leaves us three.)

Scizor awoke. the blob was still on his head. Still partly asleep, he felt dizzy, and flashed back, for a moment, to the deaths he had seen.
"Get off of me." He picked up blip in a claw, and threw her away, tuning out her annoyed yells. He jumped off of his brach, and went to find the only person that he thought would understand death as he did. The Kadabra, Staro. He didn't even bother with the usual pleasantry.
"Wake up. The humans are talking about how we're planning to ge tot Sinnoh, but I'd... i'd liek to talk to you."


Blip landed near the lake, and incidentally, the Skarmory.
"Hey! Big Birdy guy! You all better yet! What were you doing in the lake, you TRYING to die? Merry wouldn't be happy of you did that!"


----------



## Zeph (Aug 8, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

((Oh no you don't, you're not dying on me _just_ as I come back!))


----------



## Exdeath (Aug 8, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

((Oh god that had better not happen...))
"Ack!"

Staro leaped upwards when he heard Scizor speaking, but listened as intently as a half-asleep Kadabra could to what he was saying, and tilted his head at the last sentence, slightly confused.

"_You want to talk to me? What about?_" Silently, he stared at the scarlet insect, waiting for an answer.


----------



## shadow_lugia (Aug 8, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

The Skarmory glared at the Ditto. "You act like I _meant_ to fall in that lake," she squawked.


----------



## Alliniere (Aug 9, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Blip shrugged.
"What were you doing in there then?"

Scizor looked to the sky.
" How is it that you deal with having seen others die, Staro?"


----------



## Exdeath (Aug 9, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Staro froze, stunned by the question. Gradually, he partially regained his composure, looking at the trees around him and the mottled sky for inspiration. Finally, he looked at the ground beneath him and settled on telling the truth.
"_I...Well, the truth is...I don't really deal with it. I push it to the recesses of my mind, block out the memories, and try to look happy on the outside. I always hope it'll fade away with time; I can't bring myself to face it._"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Aug 9, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

The Skarmory narrowed her eyes. "I was having a scrap over a piece of food near the lake edge. The other Skarmory shoved me in."


----------



## Alliniere (Aug 9, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Jeez, Little harsh about the food. How long were you in there?"


Scizor frowned.
"How can you just... push it away?"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Aug 9, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

The Skarmory narrowed her eyes again, and croaked, "How should I know? I passed out after about five minutes, didn't I?"


----------



## Exdeath (Aug 10, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"_I...Just try to focus on other things, and keep myself occupied. Back when I was by myself, I had a lot of things to do to fill my mind with. 

Also...I sometimes manipulate my mind to suppress the memories, but not erase them. I'd never do that..._" In the back of his mind, Staro wondered why Scizor had com up to him and started asking him about death and coping with it, but didn't voice a question.


----------



## Alliniere (Aug 10, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"So it is possible to erase memories." Scizor spoke more to himself than to Staro.
"So, If i were to erase the memories.. only a few... just the worst ones... but would I change? Would what made me, me, be gone? I shall go see Lady Meredith. Goodbye, for now, Staro."


Blip was no longer interested in the Skarmory., it seemed to have nothing fun to say."Okay, Makes sense. Bye birdy. You gonna come with us? We're trying to fix the world!"

Meredith had taken a place against Beryl, her tummy full, she smiled, enjoying the few minutes they would have together before the group tried to leave.
"Beryl... I," She pulled herself up and kissed him on the cheek.
"I hope this turns out alright."


----------



## Meririn (Aug 11, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl smiled and kissed her back. "Me too," he said.

Around him, his Pokemon could sense that they were leaving soon and were gathering together. Parth and Ferien enjoyed berries while Calydon and Jupiter stared each other down and Atalanta began to gather the things that would go into Beryl's bags.


----------



## Alliniere (Aug 13, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Meredith got everyone together, which was quite a task, considering how much they had spread out.
"EVERYONE! Time to go!" The clone floated towards them, with only one word of advice before he sent them off. <Get Mountain climbing gear, you'll need it.>
He teleported them to Olivine. They all landed, softly, near the lighthouse. Long ago, you might have smelled the salty sea air, heard crashing waves. Now, an awful smell coated the air.
"Okay, This place has seen better days."


----------



## shadow_lugia (Aug 13, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Even Thorn, who was usually content, wrinkled her nose at the smell. "I was expecting to smell Italian food," she complained.
Blaze looked over. "Why Italian food, of all things?"
"It's _olive-vine_ city, you'd expect to smell pasta."


----------



## Alliniere (Aug 13, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Wow..." Meredith was amazed.
" The place used to be famous for it's towers, the battle tower, and the lighthouse. Now, I'm amazed the Gym is still open. i wasn't expecting it to be so bad. We should go to a pokemon center, rest up, see if we can find anyone who can help us climb those towers."


(i've sent PM's to the 2 people who wanted to join beforehand. I'll give them a chance  to join, if they still want to)


----------



## Zeph (Aug 13, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Agreed," Cal muttered, looking around and holding his nose. Balloon looked especially glum - Cal wondered why, and then remembered - he had found Balloon right here in Olivine all those years ago.

He bent down and picked up his first Spheal. "Don't worry," he said quietly, "We'll fix it soon. Then you can come abck here whenever you like."


----------



## Exdeath (Aug 13, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Staro shook his head sadly, sweeping his gaze across the decrepit port, noting the tilting houses with paint peeling off and half-collapsed chimneys, the picture of lack of care.

"_It's not going to just be fixed_," he sighed, "_It's changed too much to just be restored, to just make things as they were. The world's too different now._"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Aug 13, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn looked at Staro. "As long we have hope, we can do it," she said. "Hope is just about all that's keeping us going. And we're so close, that there's really no point in giving up."


----------



## Blaziking the God General (Aug 13, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

((And now...the one...the only...ME!!! :D))

"I think we're lost," Jeremiah said confused, looking at a map of Johto. He and his Pokemon were travelling, looking for Olivine City.

"What do you mean, lost?" Rocky asked.

"I mean I'm not sure of our exact location at the present time," Jeremiah answered. "I think we may have passed Olivine.

"You mean have gone around it, or through it already?" Goddess asked. "If we'd gone through it, we would have at least seen some sort of ruins."

"Maybe we completely avoided it," Merlin suggested.

"I agree with Merlin," Jeremiah said.

"You do?" Merlin said, astonished.

"Yes, because if we hadn't had completely avoided it, we'd be there by now," Jeremiah said. He and his Pokemon stopped. They'd come at an 'intersection'. The clearing parted in three other directions.

"I say we go left," Rocky said. "Left is lucky."

"How the hell do you know that?" Goddess asked Rocky, exasperated.

"They start with the same letter?" Merlin suggested. "Don't you have a compass?" The other three stopped and looked at Merlin.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Rocky asked.

"Because you have low brain capacity," Goddess said. Jeremiah took out his compass and checked to see which way would take them south.

"We're going left," Jeremiah said. They went left and continued walking.

"I told you so," Rocky boasted to Goddess.

"Are you sure you're reading the compass correctly?" Goddess asked.

"I think he knows how to read compasses," Merlin said. Goddess shot a glare at him.

"Yes, if you look, you can see the remnants of the lighthouse," Jeremiah said, pointing in the distance. Sure enough, about a mile away from them, they could see the ruins of Olivine. The continued to talk and bicker all the way to the lighthouse.


----------



## Exdeath (Aug 14, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Staro shrugged. "_I suppose,_'' he said, ''_But we should be realistic about our goals. We can't simply rewind the Earth's destruction._''


----------



## Alliniere (Aug 14, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Guys, I don't really know what to expect... If what the clone said was right, then, we can, at the least, fix the land, and clear the water, and make it so plants will live again. We can't bring back everybody that was lost, and I'm pretty sure that the PC system is.... gone... But, We can make this world worth living in again, help cure some of this depression. We can fix what is possible to fix, then, live our lives, so that whoever comes after us, will have lives worth living."


----------



## Zeph (Aug 17, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Yeah, that's right. So we _can_ fix the beaches. I win, Staro!"

The boy grinned and hugged Balloon tight to his chest.

Serena sniffed the air curiously, stroking Flake with her two tails. "_If I may,_" the Espeon said, "_Are we going to rest here for a while or immediately set out for Sinnoh? If it is the latter, I could ask the Sun for directions now._"


----------



## Alliniere (Aug 17, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"We're going to rest for awhile. We need to find a way to climb those towers, and I can't think of one, at least, not one that we could really accomplish. I worked with people, I never really climbed rocks, nothing anything close to that size."


----------



## Meririn (Aug 19, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl nodded in agreement with Meredith. "I was barely allowed outside my own house. A steep grade is something I am unaccustomed to, let alone a stone tower," he said. 

((Sorry to not move the plot along much, I was just at a wedding for a while and now I have to go to another town until Friday))


----------



## Alliniere (Aug 20, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

The pokemon center was mostly empty. The Nurse Joy looked like she hadn't had anything to do for ages and ages, and when people came in, she nearly rushed them down. When they said they were simply looking for a place to sleep, she sighed deeply.
"Only time people come here anymore is to fight Jasmine. The ports are empty, so no sailors, and the lighthouse is pointless now... Shopkeepers are all dead, or they left. So I just sit here, read mail from the family.

Meredith had booked herself and Beryl a single room, and then another room each for each person, though Joy had mentioned that there was enough rooms for each pokemon, they were so empty. Still, Meredith hoped Beryl would decide to spend the night with her.

Blip was playing with Cal's Spheals, by transforming into Pablo, she managed to keep enough edge on such mind-boggling games such as "rolling" "Barking" and "shooting water at stuff."
Scizor sat with Staro, attempting to make normal conversation, discussing things such as the weather (which never really changed).
Natalie was creating small thunderclouds, for her own entertainment, but would often follow around the other "young" pokemon, for a sort of Kinship, particularly, with the only other 'Shiny' that was there.


----------



## shadow_lugia (Aug 21, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn went into her room and bounced on the bed, along with Swirl, Claw, and Blaze, while Magma rolled his eyes in utter bemusement. "Why the hell do you do stuff like this?" he inquired.
"It's fun!" cried Blaze, who was his closest friend.
"It makes me feel frustrated that I can't bounce," he retorted. "I can only crawl slowly over everything on the ground."
Everyone stopped bouncing and crawled onto the floor with him, trying to stop him whining, until Blaze took his mind off it with a game that involved making fireballs in the air in various shapes.


----------



## Zeph (Aug 22, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Cal thanke dMeredith for getting him a room and went up to it, allowing the Spheal and Flake to stay downstairs and play. Pablo, Serena and Houndoom came upstairs with him. Houndoom lay down in the middle of the room to get some sleep, Serena sat on the windowsill to watch the sun and Pablo found some A3 paper in a drawer on which he began to paint randomly. Cal sat down on the bed and wondered what to do.


----------



## Zeph (Aug 28, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

((Is it alright to bump this? I don't want it to die =[))


----------



## Alliniere (Aug 29, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

(sorry, work, personal life, and such, have really drained my creativity. if anyone has any "personal" adventures, go ahead, it might be a bit before I'm really in the mood to RP anytime soon. Meririn has control of my characters, if need be)


----------



## Alliniere (Aug 31, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Meredith went wandering. The town was a wreck, shambles of homes, the smell of the air. The only buildings not in disrepair were the pokemon center, and the Gym. She avoided it completly, but considered trying for a badge later. Eventually, She came across a traveller. Not a huge occourance in itself, execpt... he had a Golem. She called him over, and explained what they were trying to do, and how they needed a rock type.

".... Will you give us a hand, none of us are any good at mountain climbing?"


----------



## Blaziking the God General (Sep 3, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Jeremiah stared at the group of trainers.

"To tell you the truth," Jeremiah said, "Rocky is afraid of heights." Upon saying this, Goddess and Merlin burst out laughing. Rocky glared at them. "What's so important in the towers anyways?"


----------



## Alliniere (Sep 3, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Meredith told them all she knew of Sinnoh, The battle between legendary pokemon that destroyed the world,  how, where the twisting towers of rock met, there was a way to find the God of pokemon, and perhaps it could revive the legendary pokemon. All she left out was where the clone of Mew lived.
"It's not easy, We're a fairly large group, but none of us have any experience climbing...  It's dangerous, but it's probably the only chance there is to fix this world." She motioned to the dying landscape.
"This can't be the way the world ends, and I intend to do everything i can to prevent that being the case!"


----------



## Alliniere (Sep 7, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

(trying to move this along, hope you don't mind, everyone."

The traveller had accompanied Meredith to the pokemon center. He had yet to agree to join them, but Meredith was hopeful. Or perhaps, simply foolish. She knew from the beginning this was a long shot, but after so many successes, she did'nt want this dream to end, not when they were so close, and not simply because they didn't know how to climb a really big rock. With the traveller(Meredith had forgotten to ask his name in her excitement at finding someone with a rock type.) within proximity, Meredith decided it was time for her other goal to get some attention. She marched, the bravest face she could muster, straight towards the room she and Beryl were supposed to share and.... turned around, and found Cal.

"I dunno what to do!!! How do I tell Beryl that I love him?! Like, really do!"


----------



## Zeph (Sep 7, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Cal was taken aback by the sudden question. "I... don't know," he said, still a little confused, "The best I can think of is to just say it, I suppose. Preferably when you're alone with him. But I wouldn't really know..."


----------



## shadow_lugia (Sep 7, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

There came a small explosion from the Pokemon Center (no it did not explode, just the noise).
"Flame, you idiot," snapped Magma. "What the hell were you trying to do?"
Flame blushed. "I wanted to try making a life-size Onix to win after you made that mini-Kyogre."
"Remind me who Kyogre is again?" piped up Swirl in his squeaky, tiny voice. He was still young, and rarely spoke.
Magma hesitated, before replying, "He _was._ He _was_ the one who created the seas."
"I remember now," Swirl said. "And Groudon pulled up the land, and Groudon and Kyogre fought and nearly tore the world apart, but Rayquaza decended from the sky and sent them to sleep, right?"
"That's right," murmered Flame.
Swirl sighed. "I wish that the legendaries were still alive. I want to have big adventures. I want to see Suicune running with the north wind, and Ho-Oh flying over the rainbow."
"Well, they're dead now," said Claw. "You won't ever have adventures like that. The world is finished."
Thorn broke in. "There's still hope, remember?"
"You believe that the world can be restored by a stupid _goat?_ Face it, nothing will ever be the same again."
"You're not even old enough to remember what the world used to be like," Thorn mused. "With green grass and colorful flowers growing everywhere, and clear, blue water. Poke Balls were cheap and there were no extinct species. If you've seen what the world used to be like, you have to hope that it'll come back someday."
"You and your stupid hope!" Claw screeched in reply. "Hope won't get you anywhere! Hoping is just wishing. Wishes don't come true. In the _real_ world, you need wits to survive!"
"Claw-" Thorn tried to interrupt.
Claw ignored her. "I'm through with putting up with your stupidity! When Arceus doesn't come, or when he refuses to restore the world, don't come crying back to me!"
And Claw stormed out of the room.
After a brief silence, Swirl asked, "Does this mean we won't ever see Claw again?"
Thorn sighed. "She'll come back again, alright," she muttered.
"She'll be back..."


----------



## Alliniere (Sep 7, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Scizor stopped Claw as soon as she left the center.
"I heard you all. You were rather loud, I must say.You shouldn't leave. I trust in my Lady Meredith. She has been right this whole time, and I believe that we can fix the world. Wishes can come true. Thats what Jirachi did.  The legendary pokemon were able, supposedly, to do things that were, to anyone else, impossible. Don't give up so easily. If we had done that, we'd all have died by now.


----------



## Zeph (Sep 21, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

((Please, don't die.))

Serena stared at the sunset yet again as she had every night for... as long as she could remember. She bowed her head, and the gem on her forehead began to glow. "_Mistress of Light, tell me please, what is in store for us in the future?_"

She opened her eyes and found that the sun was not just a red semi-circle on the horizon, but had turned into a huge glowing ball which filled her vision...

_A series of flashing images in quick succession, some depicting familiar humans and Pokémon, others showing things completely different to anything she had experienced. And then..._

Serena jerked awake as the last sliver of sun disappeared. She didn't know whether to be excited or terrified by what she had seen, but either way she knew that their journey was not going to come to an end any time soon...


----------



## Alliniere (Sep 26, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

(When was the last time I came here?!)

Meredith stretched out. it had seemed like she had been doing nothing for the longest time. Almost forgetting what the world was like,  her heart sank as she looked out the window. Even after a year... it still seemed impossible for this to be the life she lived. Walking through the rooms, she saw Serena.
"Anything interesting going to happen?"


----------



## Zeph (Sep 26, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Serena turned slowly on the windowsill and saw Meredith.

"_How did you know?_" she asked with a small smile. She jumped down and walked over to the human girl. "_I... there are no... it's impossible to describe what I saw with mere words,_" she said. "_To understand, you would have to see what I saw._"


----------



## Alliniere (Sep 27, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Maybe, in time, I will. How's everybody doing? I haven't really checked up with anyone since this whole journey started. I mean, I talk to Beryl alot, but..." Meredith trailed off and began to blush deeply, before composing herself.
"I don't really talk to anyone else. I wonder alot... What happened to all the people we met back near Celadon? How many more people that I knew have just given up, succumbed to the depression? I guess im just worried about everyone, because, for the first time, I don't know how we're going to take the next step, to climb those pillars.."


----------



## Zeph (Sep 27, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"_It's understandable that you'd like to talk to Beryl a lot,_" Serena chuckled, "_I know exactly how you feel. And I miss him every day..._"

She paused, gazing out of the window, then suddenly turned back to Meredith "_I don't mean Beryl,_" she said quickly, "_I mean... Flake's father..._"

She sighed. "_I know how you feel about those people in Celadon. I too wonder what happened to them. But let us look on the bright side. We'll find those pillars. And when we do, we'll find a way to climb them. The sun and I both promise you._"


----------



## Alliniere (Sep 28, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Meredith picked up quite quickly that this was something Serena had hardly ever talked about. She thought back fondly to when she worked with Elder people living in personal care homes. Some of them had no family, either they had never raised one, or even their children had predeceased them. Her visits meant the world to them, simply having someone to talk to. The image she found most had of older people, that of them sitting alone in the hallway, was not because they had nothing better to do, but because they had nobody to talk to, and were hoping someone, anyone, would pay that smallest bit of attention. The staff were all too busy, rushing from room to room, to even take the time to smile, and ask, truly meaning it, "How are you today? "
It was heartbreaking. But to know this, Meredith put herself as Serena's level, and gave her a light hug.
"Was he shiny?"


----------



## Zeph (Sep 28, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"_Oh, yes. Sleek black fur and the most beautiful blue rings..._"

Serena sighed again. "_Of course, I was just an Eevee back then, but I was getting old._"


----------



## Alliniere (Sep 28, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Want to talk about him?"


----------



## Zeph (Sep 28, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"_Only if you want me to,_" Serena said quietly, turning her large eyes to Meredith.


----------



## shadow_lugia (Sep 28, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Claw grimaced at having been caught.
"It's just too hurtful to have the disappointment of not saving the world from this," she gestured around them. "And the only way to not face it is to not hope that it will be saved. This is an impossible task. There's no way we can accomplish it."


----------



## Alliniere (Sep 29, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Scizor sighed.
"Is the disappointment of not even trying any better? We have two options, to not even try, as you are suggesting, to just live our lives with what we have been forced to survive, and to die in the dark, bleak world. Or, we can try, and if we fail, at least know that we didn't just roll over. Perhaps, I have just stood by while people died far too many times, and feel this will make up for it. But either way, do you really want to *not* try" ?

___________________________________________________

Meredith smiled towards the feline-like pokemon.
"We don't have to." She scratched behind Serena's ears, lightly, barely notcing the motions.
"May I ask though, how you go about asking someone to share their life with you like that ?" She tried to make the question impersonal, as if she was jsut curious, but her emotions easily betrayed her. She wanted to know how to ask Beryl.


----------



## Zeph (Sep 29, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Serena bowed her head. "_Maybe I'll tell you,_" she whispered, "_Some day._"

In response to Meredith's question, the Espeon chuckled quietly. "_It was not hard for he and I,_" she said quietly, "_As an onlooker stated, we were 'made for eachother'._"

She turned to Meredith. "_As are you and Beryl. I'm sure he feels the same way about you, and soon you shall both realise that for good. And then..._" she sighed contentedly, "_And then we shall all be happy, yes?_"


----------



## Alliniere (Oct 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"I hope so Serena, I really do."
Meredith left Serena to her thoughts, and travelled outside, noticing that Scizor was arguing with one of Thorn's pokemon, She thought is was named Claw, but still wasn't really sure.
"Does Thorn know where you are, Claw"?


----------



## shadow_lugia (Oct 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Claw was relieved to have an excuse to not have to think up a reason for the naive Scizor.
"Yes and no," she growled. "She knows I'm out here somewhere, but she doesn't know exactly where outside."


----------



## Zeph (Oct 18, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

((Nuuuu~ don't die D:))

A rock shuffled its way towards Scizor and Claw, making sure to move only when the pair weren't looking. When it reached them, the rock changed shape, first melting into a glob of green paint, then shrinking, and then from the small glob of paint there grew a tail, and at the other end of that tail there grew a canine body.

Pablo smiled shyly at Scizor and Claw. "*Hi,*" he said, "*Sorry, I was just feeling lonely, and you were nearest.*"


----------



## Alliniere (Oct 26, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Quite alright." The red skinned insect walked into the forest, fustrated, but now that the doubt of another had entered his mind, it was near impossible to dispell. Part of him ahd no doubt whatsoever that Meredith was right, that this could be done... but why was Claw so convinced it was impossible?

Natalie opened her eyes, and looked around the hospital room.
"Tini?"  The window was opened, and she flew out, leaving a small trail of sparkles behind her. Looking at the dark sky, chocked with poison, Natalie tried to focus of changing the weather, of making it sunny... Her eyes glowed blue, but nothing happened. Upset it failed to work, but bored of attempting, She flew around,  in loop-de-loops, and other patterns, enjoying the feeling of being healed. She let loose a Dragons Rage at the sky, it's bright blue light creating a pleasant glow to the whole area.

Meredith entered Thorn's room, being careful not to step on any of the many pokemon.
"Wanna go challange the Gym Leader?".


----------



## shadow_lugia (Oct 26, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn sat upright. "Sure," she said as Blaze sniffed Meredith's sneakers (or whatever shoes she's wearing, if any). "It'll give us something to do."
"I might evolve!" yelled Swirl excitedly.
"Me too," said Magma, "although I'm not sure it would be comfortable heaving a rock around on my back."


----------



## Alliniere (Oct 27, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"Let's head out then. I want to battle Jasmine too. I've got three out of the five needed bages anyways, why not try for all five?"


The Gym was in disrepair from the outside, holes in the roof, faded paint, and letters missing from what used to read "Olivine Gym". On the inside, the building looked brand new. Jasmine looked almost male, with the amount of muscle she had put on, but she was still, in a sense, beautiful. A Magneton floated around, while her Steelix dozed off in the corner of the huge building. She looked up, almost suprised to the presence of other people.

"Oh... Challengers? Who would like to go first?" nMeredith nodded towards Thorn. 
"I'll judge, if that's alright?" Jasmine withdrew her pokemon, and placed their poke-balls on her belt.
"All versus all, single battle, as is standard."
She threw the pokeball high in the air, and it sent out her Steelix, a load roar escaping it's maw, it looked as tough as ever.


----------



## shadow_lugia (Nov 22, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

((D: *does not appreciate being poked*))

Thorn thought for a moment, and sent out Blaze.
"You're just as good with special attacks as physical ones," she said, half to herself. "Alright, Blaze, how about a Flamethrower?"


----------



## Alliniere (Nov 24, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Steelix growled, annoyed by the flame, and tackled towards Blaze,  it's huge mass being far from ungainly. It seemed amazing that such a large creature could move with such precision.


----------



## Meririn (Dec 3, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl, having broken off from the group when he arrived in Olivine, did his best to sneak into the Pokemon Centre unnoticed. He dropped his various bags off and told his Pokemon that they could do what they wanted, then went on a hunt. When he finally found his quarry, his greeted him and then surreptitiously glanced around to make sure Meredith wasn't watching.

"Um, Cal? I have a bit of an odd question to ask you," he murmured.


----------



## Zeph (Dec 3, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Cal shut the book he was reading and quickly stuffed it back into his bag. "Hi, Beryl," he said, flustered, "What is it?" He noticed the older boy klooking around, and wandered why Beryl wanted such privacy.


----------



## shadow_lugia (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Blaze yipped and instinctively tried to dodge; he didn't need an order to know to do that.
However, Steelix was too big, and the Tackle hit. Blaze barked in pain as he was knocked over, but he managed to get up again.
"Good," murmurred Thorn. "Let's try a Heat Wave!" she shouted to the Growlithe standing on the field, a little bruised and cut, but not hurt too much.


----------



## Meririn (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"I, uh..." Beryl trailed off for a moment before mustering his courage enough to continue. "I want to tell Meredith how I feel about her, but I don't know how. Do you have any experience in this?" he asked, hoping he didn't sound as pathetic as he thought he did. He fiddled with his shirt nervously.


----------



## Alliniere (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

(Oh my religious deity of choice.... Meririn has posted!!)

The Steelix roared in pain, singe marks appearing everywhere on the steel skin. When the fire finally stopped, Steelix could almost hear a rather annoying ringing sound, repeating over and over in it's head. Knowing against the fire type it was finished, Steelix allowed it's body to glow in a white light, charging power,  a whistling sound eminating from the body. It only took a second more, before the whole room was filled with light, and fire, and pieces of stone flying everywhere. A massive explosion.


----------



## Zeph (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

Cal sighed. Why did people always have to come to _him_ for advice? Not that he minded that much.

"I'm not the best person to ask," he replied, laughing inwardly because of the fact Meredith had asked him the same thing a few hours ago, "But... why not just tell her straight out? I mean, she seems to like you..."

Seems? He _knew_ Meredith was in love with Beryl.


----------



## Meririn (Dec 4, 2008)

*Re: After the End*

"But I want to do it right. I mean, what if she's dated a lot of guys before? I want it to be special for her. How is a guy supposed to tell a girl something like that, anyway? With my parents, they had a Pokemon battle... I don't think that Meredith would be very impressed by that," Beryl said with a sigh. "Anyway, thanks for your help. I'll think of something." With that, he smiled at Cal and wandered back to his Pokemon. Calydon was having trouble with his leg today, so he needed special care and help watching the two youngest Pokemon.


----------



## Alliniere (Jan 10, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

The explosion knocked Meredith to her knees, when she opened her eyes, she could barely see through the thick brown dust, thrown in the air by the massive explosion, she heard the familiar sound of a pokeball returning it's pokemon to rest, she couldn't even tell if it was the Steelix, or Blaze.


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jan 10, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Through the debris, Thorn could see the fallen form of the Growlithe. He lay unmoving, obviously fainted.
Covering her eyes against the dust, she grasped clumsily for his ball and tried to aim at the spot where she thought Blaze had been laying. Fortunately, she heard the sound as well, and knew that she had been right.
She patiently waited for the debris to clear, knowing that the Steelix also had to be fainted.


----------



## Alliniere (Jan 13, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

The Steelix was withdrawn as well. But that wasn't the end of Jasmine. A whiplike motion, from her belt, through the air sent a pokeball flying, opening in midair, with the blinding flash, a Lairon appeared, roaring it's name into the air.


While at the pokemon center, Blip was wandering around, when she was nearly stepped on by Beryl.
"Hey! Watch out! Space is a wonderful place, but keep your head on earth, silly! Whatcha so distracted by? The ceiling that interesting?"


----------



## Meririn (Jan 13, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

"Wha-... Oh! Blip! Hi there. I was just thinking. What's Meredith up to?" he asked, sitting up. Parth and Ferien were having a mock-battle, which they fought around Calydon, and Beryl watched them to avoid looking into the Ditto's eyes, knowing that if he did, he would blush. Just thinking of his girlfriend was enough to elicit red cheeks from him.


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jan 15, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn observed her opponent with calculating eyes, trying to remember its disadvantages. If she did remember correctly, water was among them.
With a lighthearted smile, she sent out Swirl, amusement flickering in her eyes when he slapped his tail on the ground, intending to intimidate the Lairon.


----------



## Alliniere (Jan 15, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

The Lairon made a somewhat confused expression, which soon turned into amusement. This tiny little tadpole was to fight something as strong as it? The thought was laughable. Jasmine knew better. The small size could be an advantage, and Lairon didn't know any moves that would especially effective. She made her choice.
"Lairon! Take Down!"
Lairon backed up, to get some momentum, and jumped forward a small distance, to charge towards Swirl. Closer, and closer, but there was a blind spot, he kept charging, not sure if he would make contact.


______

Blip frowned.
"Merry went to fight Jasmine with Thorn. Left me behind, she said I was being 'An annoying little brat-pest to thorn, and that she didn't want to see me ever again, ever.'
It was a slight exaggeration. Slight.
"Hey! Listen to me! If you're going to dress like an oversized Kirlia, you have to look at people when they talk to you!! What's gonna happen if you dont listen to Merry when SHE talks?! Then she'll never want to see you forever and ever! That's not how a good Boyfriend acts!" Blip muttered, under her breath, almost embarresed "Not that I'll ever know, but, I would think"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jan 15, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

And Thorn said, "You're not being a brat pest!" D:

Swirl saw the large, iron-hard form barreling towards him, and instinctively ran for it. His legs were very short, so they couldn't carry him far in a short time. He hoped that he wasn't about to be squished.


----------



## Alliniere (Jan 16, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Lairon didn't feel the small pokemon get hit by the move, it quickly stopped. Running too far, and he might barrel into a rock, or a wall, hurting himself. He looked around, quickly, trying to find his place, and Swirl. His heart began to beat faster. Being open like this for too long was never a good idea.


----------



## Meririn (Jan 19, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

"Hey!" Beryl protested to Blip. "So my hair needs a trim, what about it?" He could see, however, that Blip didn't mean to offend him and was just acting according to its nature. "Anyway, what do you want to do while we wait for her?" Then a thought came to his mind. "Would she like it if I cooked her supper?"


----------



## Alliniere (Jan 21, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Blip didn't even think that anything she had said could have possibly been offensive. She had yet to learn any of the little thing called tact. Her words were meant not to offend, but to improve. She liked Beryl, but thought someone who looked like they were wearing a rather badly home made costume wasn't going to impress Meredith. Still, the one track mind of the child-like blob was quickly changed from this topic to that of the promise of food." I dunno about Merry, but I'd like if you made dinner, at least. I'm hungry!!"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Jan 21, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

The awful pressure that Swirl was worried about didn't come, though.
After a second, he carefully opened one eye. The Lairon had stopped. It had missed.
Refraining from jumping excitedly in his unbelievable luck, he acted of his own accord again, squirting a stream of water at it. He felt glad now, certain that the Water Gun would hit its target.


----------



## Alliniere (Jan 21, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Lairon felt the water. It hurt, on a pokemon such as himself, water almost had a burning sensation. He roared in pain, and when the water finally stopped, He felt drained, yes, but not so much that he couldn't strike back. Larion raised his front leg, and then smacked it back down onto the ground. The whole Gym began to shake, the ground rose up in pieces. The Earthquake was over quickly, but the ground was no longer flat, but a maze of rock and upturned ground. Still, the question remained.
"Where are you, little tadpole?"


----------



## Alliniere (Feb 2, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

((Hmm. We seem too be in a bit of a slow-down. Mind if I skip ahead?))


----------



## shadow_lugia (Feb 2, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

((I suppose I wouldn't mind.))


----------



## Alliniere (Mar 5, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

(jumping ahead then)

The pokemon center was positivly charged with the energy our merry band of travellers were putting out. Blip was attempting to "just look" at Thorn's shiny new badge, Meredith(And the glittering Dratini, Natalie, around her neck) was sitting with Beryl and Cal in the middle of the room., trying to work out what supplies were immediatly needed, Quilava was using her flames to cook the meal of the day to an appealing tempurature, while Staro seemed to be taking another nap in one of the chairs. Jeremiah sat on top of what used to be the check-in desk for the Pokemon Center. Pokemon were bustling about, trying to get everything together. Finally the sorting was done. The supplies were divided, the food stored, the maps figured out as best as were possible, thanks to Serena's communications with the sun.

"Okay. The plan's the same as before. We'll set out for Sinnoh, stopping at the bits of land that should be here, here, here, and here. Once we arrive, we'll set out on climbing it. That part of the plan still leaves much to be desired. We leave tommorow. The only question is.... Will you all still come with me? Keeping in mind... we might not be coming back from this trip?"

It was said to the group.

It was meant for Beryl.

The whole group seemed to fall silent at once, save Blip, who was cheering, as she had finally taken the Badge as her "treasure"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Mar 5, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn was mostly silent because she was looking at Blip, amused by the Ditto's antics. She personally found it kind of cute, like when a puppy stole someone's money out of a purse.
Then she looked back to Meredith. "Of course I still want to go," she said. "It would help a lot of people, and Pokemon." _Not to mention it sounds like fun,_ she silently added.


----------



## Meririn (Mar 5, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl considered this. He thought about his old life, which he missed every day with a deep ache - his father and mother, ever chasing after gym challenges and adventure; the Evolius mansion, with its many Eevee-filled chambers; the job he'd been born to fill which he'd been proud of every day; his sedate, luxurious lifestyle with his pair of Pokemon by his side. He thought of how content he'd been.

He then mused on how miserable he'd been after it was all ripped from him. He recalled the long hours teaching himself to write with his right hand since his left had been crushed in the collapse of his house, the shame in being unable to completely set Calydon's leg, the hungry, frugal survival he'd stolen from the barren world since then. Desperation drove him on. Nothing but his life and the lives of his Pokemon had mattered.

And then he thought about Meredith. He remembered how shy he had been when he'd met her. She was so sad and introverted then, lost inside herself. Yet she'd offered him what little she had anyway. The feeling that had washed over him when he first held her came back to him now. He considered how much hope she'd given him just by being herself and constantly trying, and how much she made him hope that the world was as good as place as she tried to make it. More than anything, he thought about how he was a better person now than he'd ever been, how he felt like what he did mattered while he was with her and with the rest of the rag-tag team of stragglers. He thought about how if he died now, he would die doing something meaningful rather than cowering in bushes so that no one robbed him for his belongings.

"Yes," Beryl finally said.


----------



## Zeph (Mar 5, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

"To save the world... to start it all over again... I would easily give my life," Cal said, smiling. "I'll come. There's nothing left for me anywhere else, anyway."

He looked around at each of his Pokémon in turn. The five Spheal, sleeping contently, clustered in a corner. Pablo the Smeargle, sitting next to them, his closed eyes covered by his beret, his tail dripping every now and then with his paint-like fluid. The Houndoom, who was, admittedly, in his Pokéball to prevent any trouble. And Serena, sitting on a windowsill, gazing out at the gradually setting sun, with the odd-coloured Eevee, Flake, curled up next to her.

"If I..." Cal began, but paused, and thought for a moment.. "I..." he stopped again, and shook his head. "Thank you."


----------



## Alliniere (Mar 14, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

(Okay, Pretzel and Blaziking are out. No offense, but I want to keep this going, and I've been giving fair warning.)

Long Post:

The scene was uplifting. One of hope, one that made the entire group feel charged, sure that they could accomplish this goal. Blip ran around, trying to keep Thorn's Badge from Claw, and Blaze, who were attempting to recover the small token of victory. Blip ran over the sleeping Staro, over the aged Kadabra's head... and knocked him to the floor.

He didn't get up. The Kadabra's legs and arms were bent at weird angles, his tail stuck high in the air. It would have been almost comical. Meredith stood up, afraid. It simply could NOT be true. No. Staro had to be in a trance, unable to notice what had happened to his body. But, she knelt down. Moved the body, felt his wrist.  The room was silent. She  nodded her head, every second or so, imagining the pulse she wanted to feel. When she finally spoke,  a minute later, it was as if she was back on the cabin at the edge of the ocean, years ago, mourning the loss of the Quilava, who now was crying with  Meredith

"Good....bye... Staro". Meredith made a pitiful, half-walk, half-crawl movement towards Beryl, and buried her head in his shoulder.
"We'll... have.. a funeral.. in the morning". 

Scizor carried Staro to an unoccupied room. He looked down at the Pokemon. He walked towards the door, stopping, for just a moment, before leaving the room.


----------



## Meririn (Mar 20, 2009)

*Re: After the End (accepting 1 person, if they apply quick)*

Beryl closed his eyes tight and tried not to vomit. Visions of all the dead Pokemon he'd seen flashed before his mind's eye as he held Meredith tight to him, stroking her hair. It seemed impossible that Staro could be dead. He had outlived his trainer and survived the attack of the legendaries only to be killed accidentally. He felt the familiar pangs of loss stir in his heart as he looked down at the body of his friend. He wanted to say something pithy, but he couldn't summon the right words. Finally, he settled on something for Meredith. "We'll never forget the help he's been. Even if we never succeed, he was a hero," he told her.

Parth and Ferien didn't understand death, but Jupiter, Calydon and Atalanta did. The scarred Jolteon simply bowed his head while the two parents pulled the youngsters close. _"Is my teacher sleeping?"_ the Ralts asked the Glaceon, who had buried the child's face in his fur to hide his eyes. 

_"Yes, but he won't wake up anymore,"_ Calydon said gently. Ferien seemed to understand this a little bit, and he shook slightly with fear at the idea of endless rest.


----------



## Alliniere (Mar 26, 2009)

*Re: After the End (accepting 1 person, if they apply quick)*

The funeral for Staro was a silent affair. Meredith spent much of the time leaning against Beryl, and crying.  Scizor had cut a rather large rock into a headstone, to mark the place where their friend had been laid to final rest. It was going to be hard to leave him behind, but the plan still worked without him, and sitting around, waiting for the world to change was pointless. The only thing of note was that the clouds in the sky had broken, that the sun was making the place where Staro lay quite pretty, compared to the rest of the ruined city. As much as she would have liked to stay, and mourn, Meredith turned to the group, and simply nodded her desire to take the first step of their final journey.


----------



## shadow_lugia (Mar 27, 2009)

*Re: After the End (accepting 1 person, if they apply quick)*

Thorn and her Pokemon were also silent. None of them had been particularly close to Staro, especially Claw, but they still felt like something was missing in their lives.
Blaze whimpered and pressed himself close to Thorn, who absentmindedly stroked his orange fur. Swirl gazed, mute.
"Thorn," he squeaked. "I miss Cloud. Where did she go?"
"I don't know, Swirl," she muttered. The Swablu had always been a comfort to all of them. Her fluffy wings and friendly personality were soothing, as were her sweet songs.
"She's probably dead, like Staro," Claw growled. She wasn't pleased at all that she had been caught by Scizor, and knew that she couldn't try to abandon the hopeless situation because she would be caught again.
Blaze whimpered louder and pressed himself closer. Swirl fell silent again and looked up at the sky, as if though he could see her gold feathers sparkling in the sudden sunlight.

((Just a bit of a pointless and cheesey emotional scene inserted here :P))


----------



## Alliniere (Mar 28, 2009)

*Re: After the End (accepting 1 person, if they apply quick)*

The time to set off came much too soon. Releasing Lapras onto the ocean, and insuring that the Protect was working, to keep Lapras' skin from burning off in the acidic waters, Meredith began to load everything onto the King of the Sea. The group had managed to fit all their supplies into 3 dufflebags, and while it was not roomy by any measure, they all managed to fit on the back of Lapras, allowing Blip to Transform, and help with the Protection.

"Okay, all non-essential Pokemon that have one, need to return to their Pokeball. We don't have the room."

Scizor, and Quilava returned to their orbs, in a glow of red light, while Natalie, the Dratini, wrapped herself around Meredith's neck, and began to snooze, while Blip remained, and copied Pablo's form. Sitting with Beryl, on the hard shell, Meredith squeezed his hand tightly.
"There was something I wanted to say to you...and now seems liek the best time"


----------



## Meririn (Mar 28, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl blushed and pulled Meredith close. For the first time in their young lives, Parth and Ferien were staying in Poke Balls for more than a minute just to establish their capturedness. Jupiter, too, had returned. Only Calydon and Atalanta remained out, napping. They drowsily moved down to his legs when he moved the blonde nurse onto his lap.

"What is it?" he asked, heart pounding in his chest.


----------



## Zeph (Mar 28, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

All of Cal's Pokémon, except for Pablo and Serena, were taken safely into their Pokéballs. Cal and Pablo sat right at the front of Lapras' shell, and Serena perched herself on its head where she would have a good view of the sun. It was down to the Espeon and Pablo to protect Lapras from the acidic waters this time.


----------



## Alliniere (Mar 28, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Meredith paused for a second, her nerves almost stopping her from saying it. She looked into the eyes of the young man, who had, for no particular reason, agreed to follow her on what was almost definitly a pointless mission. She felt gratitude beyond measure, for everything he had done for her, selflessly.
"I love you, Beryl."

Blip, with a sense of tact much beyond what she normally possesed, thought,
'Well, it's about TIME she told him'.


----------



## Meririn (Mar 28, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl felt his heart stop. It was as though his body knew that his life had reached the most perfect moment it ever would. He held Meredith to himself as tightly as he could without hurting her, burying his face in her hair and kissing her scalp. "I love you, too," he said, voice thick with emotion. 

Calydon and Atalanta exchanged looks. _"We haven't even started going yet and already we're at risk of being knocked into the water,"_ the Leafeon said. But Calydon just smiled, reminiscing about their own romance.


----------



## shadow_lugia (Mar 28, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn recalled all her Pokemon; feeling somewhat lonely. There wasn't a time she could remember when there wasn't atleast one Pokemon out with her, not counting the very brief period before a battle.
_Atleast Blip can keep me company,_ she thought. _She's so obnoxious that she'll keep my mind off it. Not that she's annoying or anything, just hyper._


----------



## Alliniere (Mar 29, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Setting off, Meredith stayed as close to Beryl as she could. Blip did indeed keep Thorn company, but She sometimes forgot she was also supposed to be helping Pablo keep the Barrier going. They sailed until Olivine was no longer visible on the horison. Meredith looked up at Serena.
"Can you see if Teleporting is viable right now?"


----------



## Zeph (Mar 29, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Serena bowed her head solemnly.

"Unfortunately, lady Meredith, I... That is to say, us Espeon... We do not have the ability... to Teleport... Staro was the only one who knew how, but obviously we... can't use his help any more."

She turned away, feeling guilty.


----------



## Alliniere (Mar 29, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

"Not true. Ferien can use teleport, it's just a matter of age and experience. If Blip transforms into Ferien, She should be able to use the ability with a bit more experience. To be safe, we won't jump as much, or as often as we planned, but it will still cut ALOT of time of the trip".

Meredith hadn't even thought about how Staro's... death... would have affected their mission, it just seemed so natural that he would be alongside them.


----------



## Meririn (Mar 29, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl fished Ferien's Poke Ball out of his bag and released the small Pokemon. "Can you teleport?" he asked the Ralts. 

Ferien nodded proudly and teleported from his lap to his feet. 

"Is that as far as you can go?" the green-haired human inquired, and the Ralts answered in the affirmative. Beryl turned to the others. "He does know how to teleport, but not well enough to be any help," he said. "Blip would be more useful."


----------



## Zeph (Mar 29, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Pablo turned and raised a hand eagerly. He could Sketch Teleport if need be, too, although he wasn't sure how he'd Sketch a move such as that... Nevertheless, he wanted to do all he could to help. He raised his paintbrush like a sword, ready to begin Sketching when need be. Serena nodded. "_The more, the better,_" she said, telepathically as always, "_After all, Pablo can Sketch for the purpose of using any moves he wishes, so he may as well use it constructively..._"


----------



## Alliniere (Mar 29, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Blip transformed from the form of the Smeargle, to the Ralts, and attempted a Teleport. It was slightly more successful than Ferien's attempt, though this was simply because She didn't want to throw herself off, into the water.
"If you all trust me, I can try to move us all at once, I think I know how I can do that!"


----------



## Meririn (Mar 31, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl nodded. "The sooner we get to land, the better," he said.


----------



## Alliniere (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Blip focused on where they wanted to be, in her minds eye, she saw them, only a few hours from the first island on their journey. She pulled at parts of the mind of Ralts, to find how to pull everyone with her, and to make sure they all arrived safely, without disturbing any of their protection. She pulled, and felt an odd sensation, like her whole body was being charged with electricity, while being sucked into itself. She closed her eyes... Whirling, all around her, while light whizzed by, in the microsecond between the jump, She felt the inbetween distance rush past. Suddenly, they were there, the cluster of islands visible on the horizon.

"Merry... I did... it". With that, Blip transformed back, and fell into a deep sleep. Meredith took out the aged Ultra Ball, and withdrew Blip.
"It's okay... you did wonderfully... Serena, we're right on course, right?"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

"...Whoa," said Thorn as the landscape suddenly changed. "That was weird. I thought it would feel like, you know, Apparating in Harry Potter or something."


----------



## Zeph (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Serena was a little disorientated, but nevertheless she threw her head back and looked back to the sun. Her red jewel flashed, and she sat perfectly still for a few moments. She turned her head to Meredith. "_We are,_" she said, finding it hard to hide her relief, "_When should we next Teleport?_"


----------



## Meririn (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Ferien clapped his hands happily. _"I want to do that one day!"_ he exclaimed. Beryl petted him on the head, then returned him. The little Ralts was the only one of either him or his Pokemon that was not woozy. Atalanta had to lie down to avoid falling off the Lapras, Calydon just hunched up and Beryl put a hand to his head. 

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be to keep going," he said weakly.


----------



## Alliniere (Apr 1, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

"Not for a while...we just got side effects, Blip had to go through pulling us all with her, she needs a good long rest before we can try that again. Best thing now is to just sail to that island."
With that, she threw up, over the side of Lapras. He was not pleased.

"If you are all going to get sick on me, I'm throwing you off into the water."


----------



## Alliniere (Apr 7, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

The first Island on the map was a much needed blessing after Blip's teleportation. After laying out the sleeping bag's, and letting the pokemon get some fresh air, the group huddled around a fire maintained by Quilava. Meredith was right against Beryl, enjoying was was probably one of the more cozy times they had been allowed since leaving her cabin... It all seemed so long ago, She thought of the horribly affected Castform she had named Monstrosity, the Grimer, who had rescued Quilava, and by extention her. She hoped it was happy with the children back in Celadon... the ruined city, depressing as it was to see poverty at it's worst, still held feelings of home to Meredith. She thought of the amazing battle between her and the President who had given her Lapras, allowing them to attempt this insane, impossible journey. She thought of the trainers who had passed through their lives. The thief, in particular, made her wonder, the one who had considered robbing a man of his only source of funds, and thus, food. And then, of course, of Staro...the brave Kadabra, who had given everything, just to help people he had barely known for months.

"Guys...in case this doesn't work... I want you all to know... you are the best friends I have every had.. I love you all like family...Whatever happens, I'll never forget everything you've all done for me."


Scizor stood, off to the side, the eternal knight, repenting for his sins. He watched Claw, Watched the Spheals as they happily rolled about. He wondered if they really had any idea of what was going on, how much danger they were in. He watched Lady Meredith, to whom he owed the chance at redemption, not to mention food, care, and loyalty. He felt strongly about the girl, and knew that he would defend her until his last breath.


----------



## Meririn (Apr 9, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl held Milanda close. He wasn't used to being so close to someone, but he hoped to be given the chance to get used to it. It seemed like it had been forever since he had last hugged his parents. He wondered what it was like where they were. He had a feeling that whatever it was, he wouldn't be able to understand it.

Calydon and Atalanta curled up together on the shore, closer to the water than the fire. Beryl had let out Ferien and Parth for the night, and their child was between them, Ferien being with his master. The two Eeveelutions surveyed the group from their removed place. Even after all the time that had passed, they were still uncertain about how to be with other Pokemon without putting on the prissy airs they had been taught. In the end, it was usually the cavorting of the younger members of the crew that pulled them out of their shells. Both of them had very stong parenting instincts that did not end at their own child. 

Neither of Beryl's baby Pokemon was thinking about anything at all. Within ten minutes of being released, both of them had fallen asleep.


----------



## Alliniere (Apr 10, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

(I'd like to skip right to our arrival at Sinnoh, if there are no objections)


----------



## Meririn (Apr 10, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

(No objections here)


----------



## shadow_lugia (Apr 10, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

((Nor with me :P Give me something to do...))


----------



## Zeph (Apr 12, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

[OBJECTION. I mean, uh, nope, no objections. Looking forward to the action! Let's go...]


----------



## Alliniere (Apr 13, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Meredith felt the wind rushing past her, miles and miles of ocean zooming by faster than she could register. When she came out of it, the usual nausousness was completly overridden by other feelings.

Shock.

Horror.

Disbelief.

"I... I..."   

It was as the clone of Mew had said. Two twisting towers of rock,  thousands of miles high, even straining her neck, she could not see how high they truely reached. But what happened at the point where they met was obvious. A huge black, blue, and purple vortex, swirling in the sky. Clouds drew towards it, and were sucked in. Even Meredith herself felt like her body was struggling to keep itself on the back of Lapras, like it was being pulled by some great magnetism. Along the rock, were sights that defied logic. Trees, and plantlife growing, and dying, again and again, in a matter of seconds, on the towers of rock. The ghosts of every being that had lived on Sinnoh seemed to be screaming, and though it was silent, she covered her ears, trying to block out what may only have been illusions. She knew what had happened here. It was here, that the world was broken, dealt a grevious wound. It was here where Legendary pokemon abused their responsibility to maintain the worlds balance. Meredith wondered, what were the thoughts of those who had seen the terrifying battle... what did her parents think, before, like everyone else, they were killed.

"Is... Is this... real? It doesn't feel right..."


----------



## shadow_lugia (Apr 13, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Blaze, who had been let out earlier by Thorn, whimpered and laid his small ears against his skull.

"I hate this place..." he whispered. "It's... I can feel them... Hear them... But they're not there... I don't want..."

Thorn kept her fright inside of her long enough to ask, albeit in a shaky, whispery voice like Blaze's, "How do we climb up?"


----------



## Alliniere (Apr 14, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

As they sailed ever closer to the twisting towers of rock, the pulling sensation became worse and worse. 
"I've got a bad feeling about this. I feel like I'm going to be pulled up into that thing." Lapras spoke up.
"That would serve our purposes, wouldn't it? We're trying to get there anyways, so, why not just let it take us?" It was an insane idea, but also the only way they were likely to be able to climb these towers. Meredith looked Beryl right in the eyes, and nodded, sure that this was the right thing to do. She closed her eyes, and stopped resisting. Stopped trying to stay on solid ground. She rose into the air. Her feet now dangled just above Lapras' back.
"It's...working". Blip, however, wasn't so sure of the safety of letting her friend float into some reality-bending sphere.
"Merry! Please! Don't!"
"It's the only way. Everyone, we've got to let this thing pull us in. What other option is there?"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Apr 15, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

((I must've forgotten about her, but my plan was to actually have the Skarmory join my team :X Guess I forgot to put that and that her name was Fury... Let's just assume I did for this post))

"No, no, no, I'm not going!" stammered the Growlithe as he felt the pull, fighting against it with all his strength.

Thorn wordlessly recalled him, hoping it would comfort him that he didn't have to experience it, and she, too, let the pull take over her body.

"Holy crap!" she shouted when she went into the air. Even though she was only a few inches up, it was creepy to be hovering in midair, and Thorn had a bad fear of heights.

"Can't we just fly?" she asked histerically. "I mean, I have Fury, Blip can transform into her, and I think they can carry two people at a time. That would account for all... all _four_ of us," she said, sadly remembering how their number had decreased.

((I actually find it quite hilarious that the Skarmory is the only one that can fly and carry people between us all ^^ Cloud doesn't count because my plan hasn't been put into action yet. And also a question. When we get up there, will we be attacked instantly or will there be time for a bit of recovery and a pep talk thing?))


----------



## Alliniere (Apr 15, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

(Bit of a rest, but not quite what you may be expecting. We're entering the 'End Game', I'm afraid, in case you haven't figured that out. Long post ahead.)

Meredith took a deep breath, and withdrew Blip.
"Okay... I'm going to withdraw Lapras... We'd better go, now". And she took out the Master Ball, and aimed it at Lapras. The red light engulfed him, and then, they were all floating, with nothing holding them up.
"This is probably one of the more... unnatural things we've done..."
She took one more deep breath, trying to gather all the courage she could. Eyes still closed, she whispered,
"Beryl. I love you". She let herself go, and was pulled up, she heard gasps of shock, as the others rose behind her. Meredith counted.... She would pass through soon... What would the home of a God look like? Could she even comprehend it?

She passed through the portal. As she fell upwards, she felt herself spin, and twirl, and do several OTHER things, that she couldn't even put her finger on. Finally, it stopped, and she was on her side, laying on something warm. She cracked open her eyes, just a bit. Green and Blue. She was... laying in Grass? On a sunny day?

"Beryl? Cal? Thorn? Anyone?" She instinctivly reached for her belt, to release her pokemon. The Pokeballs were all gone.
"Where did everyone go? Where did *I* go?". Meredith looked around, unsure of her surroundings.
"What... the". Around her, were the buildings of her small town. So small it wasn't even on the map of Sinnoh.  The whole town, perfectly recreated, except for the lack of people, and the fact that, in random places, the air shimmered, like light reflecting off crystal clear water.
"Where.. am I?"

___________________________________________________

Scizor awoke, in the hide-out of his old trainer.
'This place... Where I watched so many die... where I could have saved them'
 As soon as he finished the thought, A couple appeared in front of him. Their features distorted, and whenever Scizor tried to focus on them, his eyes slid away from their faces. From all around, came a voice of his nightmares.
"Tell me, insect. These lovely people have been missing payments. Do bad people like this deserve freedom. Just say the word, and they'll go free. Of course, you'll take their punishment. Someone has to suffer afterall. So what do you say, worm"? Scizor put himself in front of the couple.
"I say... I will not let you take these people away from those who they love, who love them. I say. This stops."

____________________________________________________

A Poke Ball, Ultra Ball, and Master Ball floated in nothingness, watched by the God of Pokemon.


----------



## Meririn (Apr 16, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl held Meredith's hand as long as he could while floating up, trying not to betray the immense panic he felt. In his other arm, he gripped Calydon and Atalanta, the only two Pokemon he kept out regularly. He was no match for the disorientation of the strange gravity, however, and it didn't take long for all three to drift away from him. He was still groping for them when he passed through the portal and fainted from the spinning.

---

Before he was even fully conscious, Jupiter realized two things: that he was no longer in the orb in Beryl's backpack and that he was not alone. He started up, and found that his mounting worry was unwarranted; he was lying on the voluminuous bedsheets of the master bedroom in the Evolius mansion. He was at the feet of his aging master and curled up with his mate. Suddenly, pangs of miserable loss washed over him. This couldn't be real. He'd lost both of them that night only a year past. Hadn't he? Or had it all been a bad dream, just a figment that seemed like endless mourning? No, it was now that he was sleeping. Jupiter growled to himself, annoyed that his mind would betray him with the images of his pain. He flopped down on the bed and waited to wake up again.

---

"Hey! HEY!" a voice called.

Beryl groaned and sat up. His head hurt; it felt like he'd been off balance for a long time. "Urgh," he declared, and it was then that his eyes shot open.

His voice shouldn't be that high. The green-haired youth held his hands up to his face and gawped. Perfectly manicured fingernails graced each limb, and a navy-coloured jacket slid down his arms a bit from the movement. The sight of the coat made his heart pound painfully. He'd only worn this uniform for a week, and he'd taken care of his gross nails on the sixth night.

"Are you high? Lunch is starting soon, if you have to sleep, wait until then," the young boy at the desk beside him whispered.

"This is the West Hoenn School For Boys, isn't it?" Beryl asked.

"Yeah," the boy replied.

Beryl swallowed. He thought of Meredith, Cal, Thorn, and his Pokemon and hoped fervently that they were all right. His girlfriend's last "I love you" still echoed in his ears. The fact that he had not had the opportunity to answer back filled him with a bit of strength. He had to prove to her that he was worth her time. Maybe he could change what had transpired this day when he was twelve. When the bell rang, he stood up solemnly and went outside.


----------



## Zeph (Apr 16, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Clutching Pablo and Serena close to his sides, Cal stared up at the rapidly approaching vortex above them. When they were mere feet away, he closed his eyes and buried his hands into Serena's warm, violet fur and Pablo's matted beige coat, but as he sunk into the swirling darkness he felt the Espeon at his right disappear. Thinking she had fallen, he twisted in the air and reached out to grab her, but his hands grasped at nothing. He swiped throguh the air, trying to find her forked tail or a slender paw, but she had gone.

---

Serena awoke in the shadow of a large tree. She opened her eyes and took a step forward into the silent woodland, but she stumbled and fell, her head being cushioned by a cream-coloured mane - a mane she lost a long time ago. Fearfully, she raised her head, which felt much heavier than it should have done, to the bright sun in the sky, and tried to speak to it. With all her mental power she cried out, asking the sun to answer, but there was nothing. She looked around and saw a stream rushing past nearby. She wondered over and gazed into the cool, running water, and saw not a whiskered, violet face with dark purple eyes, but the round, brown head of an Eevee, black eyes gazing sorrowfully back at her.

What was going on?

She turned on the spot. She was back home. Back in the forest. And if she was here... that meant...

Unsteadily, Serena slowly walked over to the tree, gazing into the large gap between the roots. Nestled there, in a blanket of warm leaves, was an egg.

"Flake..." she whispered.

---

When Cal regained conciousness, he too found himself in a perfectly still, silent place. He sat up slowly, and heard a familiar, groaning cry from next to him. He turned and saw Pablo, spread-eagled on the ground, awake but dizzy. Cal smiled - at least Pablo was still with him. He stood up shakily and observed his surroundings. He was standing on a grassy cliff , about ten feet from the edge. Beyond the cliff was the endless sea, crashing against the rocks below and slowly rocking to and fro, but making no sound. This was the place - the very place he had been when he captured his second Pokémon, Balloon.

His hand flew to his belt - but all his Pokéballs had disappeared, even Pablo's.

"What... where is everyone?" he asked the salty air. "That portal... where did it take us?"

He fell to his knees and watched the noiseless sea...


----------



## Alliniere (Apr 16, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Meredith looked around the town. Not a single person. Everyone she had grown up with was gone. Even in this re-created town, she would never see her parents again. More pressing was the question of what had become of her new friends. Cal, Thorn, and her beloved Beryl. Day and night moved quickly, or perhaps time was irrelevant. All she knew was, after some time, Pokemon started to appear. All the pokemon she had known to wander around her home. Bidoof and Starly, mostly, but occasionally something else would wander nearby.
"Where did you come from?" she would ask any pokemon that wandered nearby. They wouldn't respond. Were they even real? 

One day, or night, or something, A pokeball appeared at her waist. She held it up, examining it in the light.  It was brand new, and when she opened it.
"Merry!"
"Quilava!" Meredith knelt down, and hugged the pokemon tightly.
"You're safe... you're okay... Where's everyone else? Blip, Scizor, Lapras... Beryl?"
"I don't know. But Merry! We made it.. we just need to figure out how to get to everyone. You need to figure out why you are here!"

Neither of them saw, that, through a piece of shimmering light, Scizor was confronting his own demons.

____________________________________________________________

"I've taken each and every punishment, and I will tell you again, this ends!"
Scizor was screaming at a voice he could not see, angered that each time he saved someone, he felt no better, and people still were dragged in, their facelessness not at all lowering their crying, screaming, and pleading.
"You don't live forever. In less than a year, this building comes crashing down, your fat body crushed under-"

Scizor was suddenly outside, in Saffron city. Buildings fell around him, the sky cracked with lighting. He was running. Avoiding it as huge pieces of rock fell.
'What is going on? Why am I here, now, again?"
He saw that fateful couple. Cal's parents. He saw bits of him, in them, the look of their faces, their eyes. He saw the rock fall. Tried to pull them out again. 4 seconds. 'I can do it!'  3 seconds. 'I won't let them go!' 2 seconds. 'He needs them.... But.. he survived without them... He doesn't need this to change, as much as I want it to... the world... will remain.." The rock fell, this time, with Scizor under it as well.

Scizor awoke, again. He 'saw' something beyond vision. He spoke to it.
"Have I passed your test, God of Pokemon? They all will. We've fought too hard not to win."


----------



## shadow_lugia (Apr 17, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn woke up.

She was in a small town in Kanto. The very town where she had been born and raised. The one where she had met Blaze, her first Pokemon, who had been a pet before she started training. The place she had been when the world had ended.

The streets were empty. No children were laughing and playing, no cars went by. It was obviously nighttime, but there was no stars, no moon. Just a black cover over the earth, with nothing but lampposts to light the town.

It was winter, too. There was snow on the ground, but it didn't sparkle in the light of the lamps. It was also like a blanket, but white rather than black. There were, however, footprints in the snow, leading to a place half a block away.

She followed them with her eyes, and saw a tiny Growlithe, walking the street and whimpering. It was Blaze, she recognized. She remembered this time, the time when Blaze had been playing happily in the snow and gotten lost.

But she could see Blaze beside her, too.

He was looking up at Thorn with round, confused eyes, wordlessly asking what was going on.

"I don't know," she said in answer.

She felt at the belt she wore for two reasons: because her pants were too big and to hold her Poke Balls. There were no Poke Balls, though.

She was more worried about this now than the two whining puppies and their odd surroundings. She was sure that most of them could take care of themselves. She was more worried about the ones who weren't usually as serious, or had some kind of problem. Swirl, who was just a baby, all out on his own... Blip, so energetic and careless... And Claw, with no Scizor or anyone else to watch her, would she run away?

She started to run, thinking while doing that. It was calming to feel the cold air whip across her face, for some reason. The Blaze who could see her followed, the younger one in the past did not notice them at all, and they made no footprints.

She looked up, realizing that she was at her home. Her feet had trodden the path so many times, they could subconciously follow it, even when her brain was thinking of other things. Thorn tested the doorknob; it was unlocked. She pushed open the door, wondering what would be inside.

Empty.

No one was there. Her parents were gone, along with every bit of furniture. The hardwood floors and carpets had obviously once been pretty, enjoyable to walk on and look at. Now they were covered with dust, and cobwebs hung in every corner.

She walked up the stairs to her room, dusting aside a few cobwebs that had long ago been abandoned. She pushed open the door just like she had with the front one, and unlike the other rooms, this one was still in brand-new condition. There was a single object lying in the middle of the floor, something she had spent quite a bit of allowance money on but had foolishly forgotten at home, only remembering it after she was already far away.

A Fire Stone.

She had always planned to use it for Blaze eventually, but never got around to it, even when she sometimes came home. Thorn had always liked him as a Growlithe, and he liked himself as a Growlithe, too.

But now the one that was with her began to pad forward, hesitantly at first, then more confident with each step. Thorn had never realized how mature he looked now, compared to the poor puppy on the street. And when he spoke, his voice was much deeper than the squeak it had been.

"I'm ready."

He took the last step needed, and bent down to touch the Fire Stone with his nose. The shiny gleam of it took over him now, and he was glowing. He was getting bigger, his mane fluffing out, his tail getting longer. Thorn felt nostalgic for a few seconds. Her first Pokemon had grown up, she realized. The others aren't far... and then it's _my_ turn.

The glow faded, and the Fire Stone sunk into the carpet, looking like any ordinary gray rock now, except for the flame symbol still on its surface. Blaze looked far from the dull appearance of the stone now. He still seemed to radiate, almost. He now looked bigger, more adult, than the Growlithe Thorn had come to love.

"I feel... powerful," he said, his voice now even deeper, almost a growl, and he dashed around the room at speeds he could've never managed before, then breathed a flame that was noticably larger and hotter than any he had ever made. "I think...

"Maybe we have a real chance at saving the world now.

"Not just a hope. A _possibility._"


----------



## Alliniere (Apr 17, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Meredith was with Quilava wandering around, playing with pokemon, though they never talked back to them.

"Quilava... Why is everyone gone?"
"Probably because, to you, they are gone... I mean, your parents, everyone you knew is dead. Not to be harsh, but... the only reality is what the world's been like for the past 3 years." As the sentence was finished, their surroundings changed around them. No longer in her hometown, she was in her cottage, at the edge of Celadon Cliff, Blip suddenly appeared, and hopped onto her shoulder.

"I remember when we first met, Merry. You were sitting on the cliff, crying, because she had fallen into the sea. You looked like you'd been crying for days-"

"I had been."

"I tried to make you happy, I didn't like seeing you so sad. I made funny faces, and tried to cheer you up. You stopped crying, took me in, fed me, cared for me, adn eventually, I let myself stay in that Ultra Ball. We were friends, and while you were depressed, sometimes I saw the real you. Then, one day, you met Beryl. Reality changed again. And you were brought out of depression. You fell into love."


----------



## Meririn (Apr 20, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Beryl tried to control his emotions as he walked towards the exit door of the school. On this day when he was twelve, he hadn't known what was going to happen. It was a day like any other, and he was just going to exercise his Pokemon as he always did. Behind him, his two Eevees followed, looking as perfect as he'd been able to keep them back then. He knew that in his shoulder bag, he'd have fur health products and seperate brushes for each of them. Briefly, he wondered whatever had happened to them.

The re-preteen found the doors and pushed them open. It was a cloudy day. The grass was still dry, though, so instead of going back inside, he went directly to the far wall, away from anyone else, where the other kids wouldn't tease him for being so meticulous with his Pokemon. Here, he was in the only place in the yard where he was invisible from the school. He tried to remember how he had done this the first time. Normally, at this age, he had frolicked with Calydon and Atalanta, but on this day he was still glum after being shucked into another private school by his parents, so he'd read instead. Sensing his mood, his Pokemon had already run off to play tag on their own by the time he'd properly sat down. He took out the book and waited, trying to control his mounting fear that something would go wrong because he knew what would happen. But he was determined to prove to Milanda that he was brave, and that gave him the strength to sit still.


----------



## Alliniere (Apr 21, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Reality changed again, this time, Natalie had appeared around her neck, and Scizor stood behind her. This reality was not so distinct. Sometimes, it seemed like a green world, one renewed, filled with pokemon, and people. Then, it seemed just as dead as the world she had come from.

"Why is it changing?" Natalie, the Dratini around her neck, spoke for the first time. It was a soft whisper.

"Because... it's not certain yet... we still don't know what's going to happen. Or, you don't."

"Why am I being shown all this?" 

"That's the question. You live to heal. You saved me from certain death in the ocean, you heal everything around you... But you still can't fix your own issue."

"Issue? Look at what's happened to me?! I've lost almost everything I ever cared about! The entire CONTINANT I lived on is destroyed, my family is gone... all I have left are Beryl, my pokemon, the friends I made along this journey... The past is...gone..." Sudden realization hit Meredith.

"All I have left, is the future I want to work towards. All that's left is.. whatever I want."

For a moment, reality shimmered to the green, renewed world, until turning to white nothingness around Meredith, and her pokemon. Scizor looked around, and suddenly, his emotions turned to pure rage.
"No! NO! She FIGURED IT OUT!! WHY ARE WE STILL HERE?!!"
He slashed at the nothingness, and a hole appeared in it. Meredith looked inside, and saw a young boy, with green hair..

"Is that...Beryl? Am I seeing... His struggle?"


----------



## shadow_lugia (Apr 23, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Thorn and Blaze now walked the empty streets. They were following the pawprints, wondering what had happened to the Blaze of the past.

The pawprints came to an abrupt stop.

The last thing of Thorn's past was gone forever.

She didn't know why, but every time she started thinking of something, she began to think of quotes from books she had read.

_"It shows us what we want... whatever we want..."

"Yes and no. It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts."_

Yes, it all made sense, she thought. Her past was completely gone. All that was left were the same locations she had been, but they weren't the same _places._ Her home was not home. Her future was unbounded by her past.

_Wait...

That's what's happening here!

Whoever sent us here could not evolve Blaze. He only evolves through the touch of a Fire Stone. So they sent us here with the Fire Stone I left behind... to completely get rid of my past.

I have nothing but memories now._

She felt excited. Lonely, but excited. She could decide what she wanted to do, not based on what she had done.

_The deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts._

She knew what hers was.

"We do have a possibility, Blaze... We had false hope before. We were influenced by our pasts... But now they're gone, and we are free."


----------



## Alliniere (Apr 23, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Watching Beryl's past, trying not to feel like she was spying on him, Meredith had reached the same conclusion as Thorn. While their pasts had made them who they were, the end of the world had erased their pasts. Even restored, humanity and pokemon alike will never be the same, knowing what can happen, and what had happened to their world. For a second, Meredith wondered if anyone whould know, or believe, their story.

'Wouldn't that be a conversation. Being able to say you saved the world."

Not to get ahead of herself, Meredith kept watching her boyfriend, wondering when she would get to reach out to him.


----------



## Meririn (Apr 27, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

There. It wasn't that Beryl heard anything consciously, because he didn't. Rather, he sensed something, perhaps a leaf had rustled half a second before the rest of the trees did in the wind, and he knew with an awful certainty that he was no longer alone. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Yes. Now he could hear he couldn't before. Breathing. To anyone else, it would have been invisible, but Beryl's fear amplified it until it seemed to be shouting at him. With a degree of worry, he wondered if what he did next would change things - if his parents never would take him to Sinnoh and then never let him out of the mansion again, if as a result his Pokemon would never evolve and he was not there to save the trapped Eevees in his house. But there was no turning back now. The breathing halted in anticipation. The time was now. 

Beryl stopped breathing, too.

The spores that fell around him were glittery and blue. They were like a light mist on the breeze. Atalanta, who was at the moment downwind of it, curled up and fell asleep. Beryl did, too - the first time. This time, he let his eyelids slowly drift closed as though he really had inhaled the Sleep Powder, sagging back. He did not know what happened for a good six hours now, but he would find out a part of that soon. As he made to fall to the ground, he found himself caught by a pair of strong arms. 

"Good. He's worth less if he hurts himself. Bellossom, return," a woman said.

"Hah! Look at this brat. I can't believe they needed us to kidnap him," the man holding Beryl said in a rumbling voice.

"You know how breeders are. Don't want to get their hands dirty mucking with the competition. How much do you think his parents will pay for their only heir?" the female said. Now they were walking away from the school. The bell signifying that lunch was halfway over rang in the distance. 

The man laughed. "You know they had to do in vitro eight times to have him, right? This little nancy boy could probably bag us the house and all the butlers," he informed his partner. 

The last toll of the bell was our of earshot. 

"I'm not a nancy boy," Beryl said.

It was suprisingly easy to manoeuvre himself from the arms of his masculine kidnapper. Flailing like a Persian in a pillowcase tended to have that effect on shocked people. "What the f-" he started. The female - Beryl shuddered seeing her, he remembered her face from his nightmares - dove for him, but he rolled when he fell and got his feet under him. As she caught her balance, he leapt for her and successfully tackled her down. With one hand on her neck, he grabbed a twig from the forest floor and held it millimetres from her right eye.

"Back off, or she'll be wearing an eyepatch if I can't strangle her first," Beryl hissed. The man dropped his Poke Ball in shock. "You think this is a good line of work? Kidnapping children to scare their parents into paying you? Do you enjoy preying on the weak and scaring them?" The green-haired youth glared at both of them. "If you get your way, you're going find out that my parents would rather try to hire a private eye than pay you straight up. You're going to stoop to no end to scare me while they're on the phone, beginning with sending them locks of my hair and needles filled with my blood and ending with telling them that they need three million yen for every limb they want back. And you know what? In the end, the police do catch you. So let's just skip it all." By now, Beryl was nearly shaking with memories, but doing his best to seem composed. "You're going to let me walk back to my school and you're going to reconsider your career paths, or she's going to lose an eye and you're both going to get 20-life when they connect you with the kidnappings of other rich kids," he stated. Then he got up and ran, not bothering to look back.

"Calydon? You followed them?" he asked as the Eevee appeared not 20 feet from where he had attacked his assailants and ran with him. The little Pokemon chirped in the positive. Neither of them stopped before they were back on school grounds, panting, but victorious. Beryl picked up the knocked-out Atalanta and flopped down beside his scattered belongings. 'Being brave isn't as dangerous as it looks,' he tentatively decided. Then another thought occured to him, and he flushed with happiness. 'Wait until Milanda hears about this!'


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## Alliniere (May 10, 2009)

*Re: After the End*

Meredith pushed on the 'bubble' separating her from her green-haired love.
"Beryl!" She broke through, and as she did, her pokemon vanished behind her.
With a twisting a turning motion, that made her sick to her stomach, she fell into Beryl's world. Opening her eyes, she saw Beryl, at his current age, and immediately hugged him close to her body.

"I saw everything... I'm so sorry that happened to you..... We should finish this, Beryl. We're almost there, I can tell. We've passed... whoever is doing this.. we've passed their test... I just hope that Thorn and Cal have as well".

She closed her eyes, and felt herself fall one more time.

"Where are you, God of Pokemon?"


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